Marietta College cross country opens season at Bill Sudeck Invitational
Pioneer women place eighth and men take tenth

Sept. 1, 2007
HUNTINGTON VALLEY, Ohio — The Marietta College cross country season officially got underway Saturday (Sept. 1) morning when the team participated in the Bill Sudeck Invitational, hosted by Case Western Reserve University.

Case Western won the women's competition, which was a 5k run, with 42 points. Edinboro took home the men's title with 27 points. The men ran an 8k. Marietta's women collected 224 points to finish eighth in the 14-team field. The Pioneer men, who earned 275 points, tied for 10th place in the 11-team competition.

Pacing Marietta's women, who defeated John Carroll for the first time in school history, was sophomore Shannon McDonald (Lorain/Amherst Steele), who set a new collegiate best. McDonald took 17th, finishing in 20:20.00. Sophomore Randi Robertson (Avon Lake), who was making her debut with the team, crossed the line four spots later in 21st. Robertson finished in 20:25.65. Sophomore Kaity Smith (Essex Junction. Vt.) was the third Pioneer to finish. She took 45th with a time of 21:07.00. Sophomore Logan Wern (North Canton/Canton Hoover), Marietta's fourth-place finisher, ran a collegiate-best 22:16.00 and placed 90th. Freshman Mehgan Cline (Dublin/Coffman) placed 102nd with a time of 22:48.00, while sophomore Brenda Puckett (Eaton/Preble Shawnee) knocked over a minute off her previous best and finished 109th with a time of 22:59.00.

"It was a competitive meet, and we had some bumps but I feel like we are right where we need to be." Head Coach Derek Stanley said. "We are just going one meet at a time and pushing for improvement and health."

Sophomore Mike Siringer (Willowick/Willoughby South) was the first to cross the line for the men's team, which is nursing some early-season injuries. Siringer, who was seven seconds off his collegiate best, took 44th with a time of 28:33.00. Freshman Max Kenngott (Akron/St. Vincent-St. Mary) showed well in his first race, taking 77th with a time of 29:39.00. Senior Harrison Potter (Rochester, N.Y./Gates Chili), who is coming off a knee injury, took 82nd with a time of 29:42.00. Sophomores Kevin Hazlett (Akron/St. Vincent-St. Mary) took 119th (31:03.00), Cody Thomas (North Olmsted) was 121st (31:24.00), Corey Blattler (Barnsville) placed 127th (31:41.00) and Louis D'Amico (Shadyside) finished 130th (31:46.40).

"Our place does not show our true ability as we are no where near where we can be," Stanley said. This performance is decent, but we have no where to go but up."

Marietta will have an opportunity to continue its training before hosting the Carl Broughton Invitational on Sept. 15.