Marietta cross country races at 33rd annual Western International Invitational
Women take 12th and men place 15th at Canadian event

Sept. 22, 2007
LONDON, Ontario — For the second time in three years, Head Coach Derek Stanley took his Marietta College cross country team north of the border to compete at the Western International Invitational, which was hosted by the University of Western Ontario and took place at the Thames Valley Golf Club.

The Pioneer women placed 12th with 340 point in the 5K race. Marietta's men, which ran a 10K instead of the 8K that they run in NCAA events, finished 15th with 458 points. In 2005, the men also took 15th, while the women did not have enough individuals to qualify for team scoring.

Sophomore standout Randi Robertson (Avon Lake) once again was the Lady Pioneers' top finisher and shaved more time off her collegiate best. On Saturday, Robertson was the 40th to cross the line in 19:36. Sophomore Kaity Smith (Essex Junction, Vt.) also ran a career best at the event. She covered the 5K in 20:12, which was the 64th best time. Sophomore Shannon McDonald (Lorain/Amherst Steele) was the third Marietta women to finish. She took 80th with a time of 20:36. Sophomore Logan Wern (North Canton/Hoover) also had the best race of her young career. She finished 124th overall with a time of 21:52. Junior Jessi Larrison (Batavia) was right behind her, taking 128 with a time of 21:59. Larrison was the only Marietta women to run at the meet in 2006. That year, she took 153rd with a time of 24:05. Sophomore Brenda Puckett (Eaton/Preble Shawness) rounded out the Pioneers' finishers in 144th place with a time of 24:35.

For Marietta's men, Saturday was a challenge of endurance as they ran two more kilometers than what they run at every other meet. Seniors John Hull (Scott Depot, W.Va./Winfield) and Harrison Potter (Rochester, N.Y./Gates Chili) were the lone Pioneers to run the course in 2005. Hull, who finished 95th (36:45) that year, took 103rd Saturday, finishing in 36:12. Sophomore Mike Siringer (Willowick/Willoughby South) was the second Marietta runner to finish. He took 115th with a time of 36:53. Freshman Max Kenngott (Akron/St. Vincent-St. Mary) followed in 117th place with a time of 37:01, while Potter, who took 94th (36:43) in 2006, placed 117th, finishing in 37:14. Sophomore Louie D'Amico (Shadyside) completed the Pioneers' finishers. He took 144th with a time of 40:09.

Marietta will take week off before returning to action on Friday (Oct. 5) for the All-Ohio Championships, which will be hosted by Ohio Wesleyan in Delaware, Ohio, at 2 p.m.