From RSU Sports Information
EDMOND, Okla.- The Rogers State men’s and women’s cross country teams started the 2012 season with top three finishes at the UCO Land Run on Saturday.
The women registered a second place finish as they collected a team score of 72. Sooner Athletic Conference foe Oklahoma Baptist earned the team title.
Freshman Haley Taylor paced the Hillcats women in the 5K race as she tallied a ninth place finished with a time of 19:25.
Brenda Felipe followed with an 11th place finish in 19:28 and Christi Dougherty registered a 15th place with a time of 19:41.
Coree Lenhart and Maria Apolinar rounded out the top five placing 23rd and 26th respectively.
The RSU men registered 85 points for a third place finish in the four-mile race. The 2011 defending NAIA National Champions Oklahoma Christian earned the top spot on the men’s side.
Brandon Payne led the Cats with a 12th place finish in 21:07. Chandler Smith and Oscar Reyes finished 21st and 22nd respectively with a time of 21:35.
A pair of freshmen rounded out the top five as Logan Blackburn ran the race in 21:47 and placed 27th while Garrett Dyson placed 33rd with a time of 22:03.
Rogers State will return to action on September 15th as the Cats travel to Missouri Southern in Joplin for the Southern Stampede. The women’s race begins at 8 a.m. and the men follow at 9 a.m.
For more information about RSU Cross Country visit www.rsuhillcats.com.
Sara Williams is the Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations at Rogers State University.