Midwestern Madness
Photo by Unsplash
Men’s and women’s cross country battle top teams in Minnesota
The Roy Griak Invitational, an annual celebration of the sport of cross-country hosted by the University of Minnesota, opened the gates to the Les Bolstad Golf Course in Minneapolis once again on Friday, September 19th. Contested on grassy, undulating terrain by universities from across the country, the meet is a mid-season litmus test for many of the nation’s top and mid-level teams, one where position is everything, and time is merely a formality. California Baptist University (CBU) and the University of Minnesota were expected to be the primary combatants at the start of the women’s race. At the same time, the Cowboys of Wyoming were predicted to defend their title against CBU’s men.
The University of the Pacific’s cross-country teams, hoping to test their mettle against some of the country’s best, made the long journey to the Twin Cities to take part in the festivities. The Tigers aimed to use the momentum generated by a victory and runner-up finish by the men’s and women’s teams, respectively, at the University of Hawai’i just two weeks prior.
The gun for the men’s race fired at 10:00 a.m. under a cloudy morning sky, and the squad from Stockton jostled for position among the talented field. As they came through the first kilometer, the squad began to settle into their positions. It soon became evident, however, that the Tigers had not been aggressive enough, and as they passed through the first two miles, they began to show cracks in their armor.
The course of the Griak Invitational, notorious for its relentless difficulty, began to take its toll around mile three, and runners throughout the field began dropping back, unable to hold the pace set by the front pack. Pacific had come into the race expecting to take advantage of this mid-race frenzy, but their poor positioning and lack of aggressiveness earlier in the race left them too much ground to make up. The spots that the squad managed to recover, 61 total in the last 3 kilometers, proved to be virtually inconsequential, as their timid first half overshadowed the positions salvaged in the second. Freshman Jett Davenport was a bright spot for the men, finishing 50th overall ahead of André Souza in 59th, Kohl Sanders in 65th, Daniel Judd in 68th, and Logan Evans in 74th.
The Pacific women made their return to the prestigious competition after a six-year hiatus, hoping to hold their own for six kilometers against some of the nation’s cross-country heavyweights. Before the race had even begun, injuries had reduced their squad to just six, and although they maintained high expectations for the race, each would have to bear more of the load. The gun fired at 10:45 a.m. for the women as a passing storm began to shower the competitors, and the field responded with a searing first mile. A front pack quickly separated from the rest of the field, and, unlike in the men’s race, the women’s squad fought to maintain position. Sophomore standout Angelina Lione, after receiving West Coast Conference (WCC) Runner of the Week honors just two weeks prior, led the chase pack through the first mile. She was joined by freshman Emma Schmutz, and the pair worked together to maintain their position.
After three kilometers, however, the hot start caught up with the field, just as it had in the men’s race, and the Tigers began to fall back. With a kilometer to go, Pacific’s third and fifth runners, Daphne Iosua and Sofia Livingston, made a valiant effort to push the team forward from behind, making up 19 spots together, but the damage had been done in the first kilometers. Lione remained Pacific’s top finisher, crossing the line in 29th overall after fighting to maintain her position during the closing stages of the race.
Men’s and women’s cross country now have set their sights on redemption back in the Central Valley, as they hope to defend home turf at Micke Grove Golf Course on October 3rd. The men’s eight-kilometer race will kick off at 5:30 p.m., followed by the women's at 6:10 p.m. Both teams hope to make a statement on familiar terrain against conference rivals and universities from across the West, as the pressure builds in the late stages of the season.