2008 Woodie Awards
PC Runners Strive for National Title
Bradley Chen '08
Issue date: 11/15/07 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 2 next >
It is safe to call the cross country teams the iron men and women of Providence College fall athletics. Outlasting all other sports, the cross country team is heading to Terre Haute, Ind., to compete for the NCAA championship because of the great showing both teams had at the Northeast Regional Champion-ships on Saturday, Nov. 10.
The men's 46 points earned them second placed, behind only Iona. The Friars not only finished with the lowest (and best) individual score, by Max Smith, but also the second lowest, as Hayden McLaren pushed hard at the end and crossed the finish line right before the third place finisher.
"Boston was our best race of the season. There has been tremendous progress since the beginning of the season and I couldn't ask for anything better than what we accomplished there," said Coach Treacy.
Smith, a senior, completed the 10k course with a time of 29:58.75 while McLaren, a sophomore, posted a time of 30:00.95. "This was by far Hayden's best race for us. He was much more consistent. Iona is one of the best teams in the country, so to battle for that top spot in Boston was fantastic," Treacy added.
PC's other three racers, Ahmed Hajii, David McCarthy, and Richard Yates all scored to post the overall second place finish. With that second place, PC was able to punch their ticket to Indiana because the top two teams from the Northeast get automatic berths.
There was less in doubt with the women's side as they captured the Regional with a score of 73 points. The PC women ran away from the competition, en route to the program's fifth Regional title, and its first since 2004. Leading the way was junior Danette Doetzel who completed the 6k race in 20:28. Katie DiCamillo and Krystal Douglas finished in the top ten, while Michele Childs and Breffini Twohig were able to post and keep the Friars' score low. Stonybrook was PC's closest competitor with 118 points, but the ladies' team has been strong the entire season.
The men's 46 points earned them second placed, behind only Iona. The Friars not only finished with the lowest (and best) individual score, by Max Smith, but also the second lowest, as Hayden McLaren pushed hard at the end and crossed the finish line right before the third place finisher.
"Boston was our best race of the season. There has been tremendous progress since the beginning of the season and I couldn't ask for anything better than what we accomplished there," said Coach Treacy.
Smith, a senior, completed the 10k course with a time of 29:58.75 while McLaren, a sophomore, posted a time of 30:00.95. "This was by far Hayden's best race for us. He was much more consistent. Iona is one of the best teams in the country, so to battle for that top spot in Boston was fantastic," Treacy added.
PC's other three racers, Ahmed Hajii, David McCarthy, and Richard Yates all scored to post the overall second place finish. With that second place, PC was able to punch their ticket to Indiana because the top two teams from the Northeast get automatic berths.
There was less in doubt with the women's side as they captured the Regional with a score of 73 points. The PC women ran away from the competition, en route to the program's fifth Regional title, and its first since 2004. Leading the way was junior Danette Doetzel who completed the 6k race in 20:28. Katie DiCamillo and Krystal Douglas finished in the top ten, while Michele Childs and Breffini Twohig were able to post and keep the Friars' score low. Stonybrook was PC's closest competitor with 118 points, but the ladies' team has been strong the entire season.