TABOR COLLEGE: Harriers win second straight title
Jost repeats as women's winner, Patton runner-up
History again repeated itself Oct. 12 with the Lady Bluejays' cross country team successfully defending its title at the Kansas Wesleyan meet held at Salina's Bill Burke Park.
The Lady Bluejays' team score of 37 edged out runner-up Hutchinson Community College by 11 points.
Repeating as champion was Tabor's Angie Jost, who held a big lead throughout the majority of the 3.1 mile race to finish in 20:12. The top finish at KWU marks Jost's sixth collegiate victory.
Karen Patton's goal this season has been finishing in second place, right behind Jost.
Patton achieved her goal Saturday, finishing a mere 12 seconds behind her teammate Jost.
She also managed to meet the qualifying time of 20:30 to be nominated for the NAIA Scholar-Athlete honor
"Patton ran the best race of her career," said Bluejay coach Karol Hunt. "Her goal this season has been to finish a race in second place behind Angie and she was able to do that today.
"She is running with a lot of confidence and held off a feisty Cloud County runner who tried to draft off her throughout the race. I was really excited about Patton's race. She was able to do some things that we have been working on."
Emily Aldis took seventh in 21:52 and Esther Richert was 13th in 22:49 to earn a T-shirt for a top-15 finish.
Tia Akers ran a season-best 18th-place time of 23:11, four seconds ahead of Sarah Frick, who took 19th.
Erin Voth was 23rd in 23:47.
The men's team, due to a shortage of competitors, were not awarded a team score.
Cloud County was the overall winner with 19 points, 32 points ahead of runner-up Friends.
Kevin Nickel paved the way with a 12th place-season best time of 28:54 for a T-shirt.
"Kevin Nickel rebounded well from a disappointing race two weeks ago," Hunt said. "Kevin's dedication is an example to his teammates."
Ryan Sperling came in 25th in 30:31, Matt Lynam was 32nd in 31:37 and Will Higerd finished 37th with a personal record time of 34:08.
"We are progressing well at this point in the season," said Hunt. "This is an extremely focused group and their hard work is paying off."
The Bluejays travel Friday to Winfield for the NAIA Mid-States Championship hosted by Southwestern College.
The women begin at 4 p.m. with the men starting at 4:45 p.m.
Women's results
1. Jost, 20:12. 2. Patton, 20:24. 7. Aldis, 21:51. 13. Richert, 22:49. 18. Akers, 23:11. 19. Frick, 23:15. 23. Voth, 23:47.
Men's
12. Nickel, 28:54. 25. Sperling, 30:31. 32. Lynam, 31:47. 37. Higerd, 34:08.
