Spartanburg - The postseason for NCAA cross country is officially off to a bang. This weekend, 28 of the best teams in the Southeast Region, including the reigning Division II national champions, gathered at Milliken Arboretum in Spartanburg, South Carolina to try and run their way to earning a coveted spot at the Division II National Championships in Sacramento, California. Wingate won the men's team title with a perfect score of 15 points. The Trailblazers finished 18
thas a team and did an exceptional job considering that their race distance increased from an 8k to a 10k.
Crossing the line first for the Trailblazers was
Thomas Schilling, who ran a personal best in the 10k distance of 32:47, placing him in fifth on the Trailblazers All-Time list. Finishing next was
Matthew Heath, who capped off his senior season with a time of 33:40. Following him was
Brennan Harp, who ran a time of 34:14 in his first 10k. Not far behind him was
Cohen McDonald, who ran a time of 34:26. Next was Chas Brewer, who ran a time of 35:42. In his first 10k, Domonique Cox ran a time of 36:01. The final Trailblazer to cross the line was
Nick Lavelle, who finished with a time of 36:51.
From head coach Cameron Stober:
"The region meet is always fun. Some of the best teams in the country are represented in our region, including Wingate, the defending national champions on the men's side. Both races were loaded with talent and the atmosphere was great. Fans and spectators were all over the course which made for a true championship feel.
"The men's 10K was first. It's always a hard transition for the men's teams who run 8K all season and then have to run 10K for regionals and nationals.
This was the first 10K for some of our guys. Overall, I'm proud of how they competed. Thomas ran a phenomenal race and really bounced back from a disappointing performance at conference. He looked strong the entire race, finished with an impressive PB, and is now the fifth fastest in program history for the 10K distance. Matthew ran a solid race for us as our number two. Today was the final cross country race of his career, so it was good to see him go out on a positive note. Brennan ran a decent race as our number three despite cramping for the final two miles. He's had a really strong freshman season and has bright future.
Cohen also ran a decent race, working his way up through the field throughout the majority of the race. He's logged a lot of miles over the summer and throughout the season. I still think we've yet to see him at his best, but I believe that he will get there. Chas ran number five for us today...his first time in our top five this season. He's a guy that has potential to run top five for us any given race. It was good to see him do so today. Dom really went for it and I thought he ran a solid race for his first ever 10K. It's been a big win for him to make it through the entire season healthy. I'm proud of how he's taken care of his body to get him to where he was today. Despite some issues during the race, Nick stayed engaged and did what he could for the team. He's come a long way over the past couple of seasons and I look forward to seeing him continue to progress. I'm proud of this group of guys for not quitting on their season after conference. They continued to train and I feel like we were able to finish our season on a much better note today.
"Our team will take a much needed break to allow their bodies to rest and recover from a long training block and competitive season. After that break they will resume training as they prepare for track season."
