FAYETTEVILLE, ARK. – For the second-straight year, the Texas
A&M-Corpus Christi runner Shadrack Songok has qualified for the
NCAA Cross Country Championship by winning the NCAA South Central
Region highlighting the Islanders performance at the regional
meet.
Songok, who
finished 19th a year ago at the national meet to earn All-American
honors, finished the 10K course in 29:16.3. He defeated Southland
Conference rival Francis Kasagule by seven seconds.
It was the second
time this season that Songok placed first on the course winning the
Chile Pepper Festival in October. The junior has not lost a cross
country race this fall. He will run at the national meet in Terre
Haute, Ind. on Monday, Nov. 19.
"Shadrack
continues to run well," said Islander head coach Shawn Flanagan.
"He continues to be impressive."
As a team the
Islander men placed seventh overall despite being ranked fifth in
the region entering the meet. Arkansas won the men's title with 37
points followed by Texas with 52.
Following Songok
was J.R. Pulido, who was 24th among scoring runners in his final
collegiate race in 31:16.8. Edward Kemei was the third Islander
finisher in 46th scoring runner (32:04.2). Scott Vance was 51st
(32:12.4) and Eloy Zertuche (77th, 33.42:00). Erik Burciaga, who
had been in the Islander top four all season, was the sixth men's
runner to finish in 84 (34:59.3). Blaine Gibson was 87th in
(35:24.5).
"We finished 12
points out of fifth, which is where I thought we would finish
although I had aspirations that we could improve on our ranking
coming in," said Flanagan. "Unfortunately, we underachieved a
little, but it was still a solid performance. Our top four ran
well."
After having
everything fall into place two weeks ago at the Southland
Conference Championships two weeks ago to win the league title,
things were much different for the Islander women's team at the
regional meet. The women failed to score as a team due to a rash of
medical problems before and prior to the race.
In warm-ups,
sophomore Cynthia Santaella injured her ankle and was unable to
compete. During the race, Meghan Lemke and Courtney Johnson each
dropped out leaving the Islanders with just three runners to
finish. Five must cross the line to score as a team.
Lydia Kimeli was
the first Islander finisher in her final meet placing 33rd in
22:11.8. Sophomore Gillian Gatewood was 46 in 22:31.0 and freshman
Sarah De Los Santos was 55th in 22:49.04.
Rice won the
women's title with 54 points while Arkansas was second with 70.
"Two weeks ago
everything went right for us at the conference meet and we won it,"
said Flanagan. "Today everything that could happen did happen .The
three that finished ran well."
As a whole,
Flanagan is pleased with how the season went.
"For both teams,
it has been a good season and we still have Shadrack competing,"
said Flanagan. "Even thought today may not have gone as well as
hoped it was a good season. Now we will get ready for track."
