Lamar, Stephen F. Austin Win Cross Country Championships
Southland Conference
Men's Results (PDF)
Women's Results (PDF)
Photo Gallery
Race Replays: Men | Women
Awards Ceremonies: Men & Women
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Lamar men won their fourth straight Southland championship while Stephen F. Austin women comfortably won their eighth team title in history on their home course of Pecan Acres Park in Nacogdoches.
Senior Charles Mathenge of Stephen F. Austin left nothing to chance after finishing as runner-up in last year's championship. By the midway point of the Friday's eight-kilometer men's race, he had carved out a comfortable lead for himself and now looks primed to chase his third-straight NCAA championship appearance. The Nairobi, Kenya native crossed the line with a final time of 24:11.8, followed closest by junior Frederico Gasbarri of Lamar (24:20.1). Both led the way to strong top-four finishes for their teams, with redshirt freshman Brandt Preston of SFA in third-place and senior Tobias Riker of Lamar in fourth.
However, when the points were tallied, it was another exceptional Cardinal men's team performance, as Lamar took home their tenth team championship in 11 seasons. Five Cardinal athletes finished in the top 20 to pace their team to a first-place team finish (43 points) followed by Stephen F. Austin (62 points) and McNeese (68 points).
The women's championship was hotly contested as the lead changed hands multiple times through the middle of the six-kilometer race. Junior Evelyn Chavez and senior Jannika John of Lamar managed to push ahead to a slight lead as the race entered its second half, followed close behind by Sam Houston State senior Ana Moreno and junior Katja Woelfl of McNeese. Chavez would have the final word, taking a narrow first-place finish (21:12.8) followed narrowly by Moreno who managed to push ahead for a second place (21:14.9). John took third place (21:19.4) followed by Woelfl in fourth (21:31.9).
Depth prevailed as Stephen F. Austin had all seven athletes finish in the top 20 - including all five scoring runners in the top 12 - en route to the program's eighth championship, the most in Southland history.
Southland teams will next take to the course at the NCAA South Central Region Championships at Agri Park in Fayetteville, Ark. on Friday, Nov. 11. For teams and individuals who qualify, the NCAA Cross Country Championships will be held on Saturday, Nov. 19 at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center in Terre Haute, Ind.
Men's Team Results (Points)
1. Lamar (43)
2. Stephen F. Austin (62)
3. McNeese (68)
4. A&M-Corpus Christi (125)
5. Sam Houston State (131)
6. Central Arkansas (149)
7. Houston Baptist (154)
8. UIW (194)
9. Abilene Christian (243)
10. Southeastern La. (314)
11. New Orleans (327)
12. Northwestern State (341)
13. Nicholls (428)
Women's Team Results (Points)
1. Stephen F. Austin (48)
2. Sam Houston State (106)
3. Lamar (110)
4. UIW (114)
5. A&M-Corpus Christi (117)
6. Central Arkansas (130)
7. McNeese (152)
8. Houston Baptist (191)
9. Abilene Christian (259)
10. Southeastern La. (277)
11. Northwestern State (316)
12. Nicholls (363)
13. New Orleans (379)
Quotes:
Tony Houchin, Lamar Head Coach:
On the execution of the Lamar team: It is great whenever you go into a championship and you have the target on your back, which we have had over the past several years. We are a little thinner this year, so it was good to bring it home again.
On the look of the course: It was kind of a tight course, so we wanted to get out and up front a little earlier than what we traditionally do. With all the turns and the narrow course, we needed to put ourselves in position to win a little earlier than we have in the past.
On the meaning of the meet: Regardless of how many times you win a conference championship, for me, I think it is always special. This is the biggest meet of the year. This is the first and biggest date that has a big gold star on it from day one right at the beginning of the year.
On expectations for the regionals: We just want to go out and have another good day. Hopefully we can be top four and beyond that. Anything is possible. Anybody that toes the line and you never know what can happen. That's why we run the race.
On Lamar men's performance: If you look at the past performances, [Federico] Gasbarri wasn't even in our top seven last year, so for him to be the conference runner-up this year is a huge improvement. Then you also look at [Stuart] Ferguson. That was a guy last year that was seventh on our team, and this year he was eighth in the conference. You never know. That kind of improvement, when you see guys raise their game to carry the torch for the strong distance tradition that we have had at Lamar, that is what you want to see. I am very proud of the work that they have put in during the off-season and throughout the course of the season.
On the race that Evelyn Chavez ran: Both Evelyn and Jannika [John] ran a great race to finish one and three. Evelyn was 10
th her freshmen year. Last year, she was 11
th. Then this year, to see that jump from 10
th to conference champion is huge. It shows the kind of work that the kids put in in the off-season. It shows how everyone raises their game to keep Lamar distance strong. I am really proud of her.
Cody Clark, Stephen F. Austin Head Coach:
On the performance of the team: The women had an outstanding race. I think our fifth person was 12
th place. We packed it up and ran well. It was just an awesome day for them. The men got runner-up. I told the men that we could be first through fourth, and if we ran bad then it could be worse than that. For them to get second with a redshirt freshman at third overall and Charles [Mathenge] winning, and then a senior in the top 10 as well, I could not ask for much more from those guys. It was an awesome day on both sides.
On Charles Mathenge's race: He has been an NCAA qualifier for the past two years, and hasn't won a cross country title. For him to finally win it at his home course with his last semester of eligibility is just great. I am so happy for him. He just executed and it was nice for him to get the victory.
On the women's execution: We are out here every day. We are running through the course, the park and the trails. We are familiar with the course, the footing, the grass and the gravel. It is not a very fast course. I know it looks like it could be a fast course, but I think going from grass to dirt and the turns, slows it down. Just them being familiar helps.
On the depth of the Ladyjack team: We have been running like that all year. A couple girls were off today, but to come away and pack it up still is great. We just hope to do that same thing at regionals. I think that if we can be top five in region, that would be one of our top finishes ever. To pack it up like that and feel that comfortable half way through the race, is a good feeling.
Charles Mathenge, Stephen F. Austin, Men's Individual Champion:
On winning the championship: It means a lot to me. It is my final year. I have tried to win it the past two years, and every time I got second. I went out from the gun and ended up getting caught towards the last mile, but today I tried to make sure that person stayed behind. I am glad that I got the win today. I had to push myself all the way to the line. It is a real blessing.
On the expectations of the race: My main goal is regionals and nationals. I want to be an All-American before I leave school. The last two years, I made it all the way to nationals, but then I didn't have a good race. This year, things are starting to come together. I hope that I can have good races at both regionals and nationals. I hope that I can make it through.
On the advantage of being on your home course: I had the advantage of being on our home course. We run out here every day. I tried to run out here every day for the last two months, so I had a good idea about it. Especially at the turns, you have to pay attention. There are so many that if you slow down to take them, then you will definitely have a slower time. On the approaches, we were taking our turns very well, and keeping our pace through the them. I think that having the home course is a very good advantage for me, and that's why I won.
Evelyn Chavez, Lamar, Women's Individual Champion:
On the team performance: I know last year we pulled off a third-place finish, and this year with losing our number one and still maintaining that place, I think we did a really good job. I am really proud of my team.
On the pace of the race: I think that it was with one kilometer to go, we started surging. I guess I dropped the hammer and decided to just roll away with it. I could kind of sense there a Sam Houston runner, [Ana Moreno], was creeping up on us. I think that was the right time to move.
On breaking away from teammate Jannika John: I think that you feel it, after having all this energy throughout the entire race. We talked about it. We knew that there was going to be a point in the race when we were going to have to start racing each other instead of running with each other. We were fine with that. I think that we wanted what was best for each other so if that meant Jannika pulling away and, then that was going to happen. Today, I was just blessed with the strength to be able to pull through and finish the way I did.