CROSS COUNTRY SWEEPS SHOOTOUT TEAM TITLES

October 04, 2003 | Cross Country

By: CUBuffs.com

BOULDER ? Sophomore All-American and USA Junior National Champion Billy Nelson won his first collegiate race, while the third-ranked Colorado women's cross country team, and sixth-ranked men's, won their respective team titles at this morning's 18th annual Rocky Mountain Shootout decided on the Buffalo Ranch at CU South Campus here Saturday.

The four-year streak of a CU runner taking the women's race was snapped by Western State's Alisha Williams, who covered the 5.8 course in 20 minutes 46 seconds, just four seconds ahead of CU senior All-American Natalie Florence (20:50). The team titles have now been swept by Colorado for the 11th time, fifth straight. With Jorge Torres winning the 200-02 Shootouts, today's individual crown by Nelson was the fourth straight for a CU runner, 11th overall.

'For the most part, the team gets a good grade today,' said head coach Mark Wetmore.

In this morning's open races, which doubled as the USATF Colorado Cross Country Championships, Katsuko Kanno of Japan took the women's race in 20:59, followed by former course record holder Martha Tenorio of Boulder and Ecuador (21:18). Josh Eberly (24:55) built a 39-second gap between him and Carl Blackhurst (25:34) for the men's.

Both races were a battle between Colorado and Division II powerhouses Adams and Western State. In the women's race, Georgia Tech transfer 2001 NCAA runner-up turned Buff Renee Metivier, had a 30-m lead on a pack that included teammates Natalie Florence and Christine Bolf and Kalen Toedebusch and stretched it to 50-m at the 3-mile mark before Western State's Alisha Williams pulled ahead for the 4-second win over Florence, who matched her finish from last year's Shootout, but missed tying her course pr by a second.

'I wanted to improve, but I'm glad that I ran just about the same time as I did last year because I was happy with how last season progressed,' said Florence.

Adams State's Stephanie Bylander (20:55) finished third, just four seconds ahead of Metivier (20:59) who admitted that nerves in her first race in a year and a half got in the way of her race plan, though it didn't stop her from shaving two minutes from her time trial time.

'I went out a little less conservative than I wanted, but I was nervous before the race. I didn't' know what to expect and how that I have this race under my belt, I know what I can do, and that's only go up from here.'

Wetmore agreed, 'Had Renee been more conservative, she could have been 10 or 15 seconds faster, but she's new to Colorado, new to this course, and new to me, but down the road she will be a major factor for us,' complimented Wetmore.

Rounding out CU's scoring efforts today were Bolf who set a course pr 21:13 to finish sixth, Toedebusch (21:30) and freshman Shanna Sparks (22:12) who finished 16th.

The men's race was a battle up front, with Adams State controlling the first half of the race, and CU the second. When the dust settled, four CU runners finished in the top 10 to Adam State's three for the convincing Buff victory.

'Bret and I were a little nervous before the race because our legs were feeling heavy, but when the gun went off, the adrenaline took over,' said Nelson. 'Overall it was a great race, and I did what I wanted to do. It was hard to let Adams State go in front to start the race, but with this course, whoever is the most patient does the best.'

With Nelson running a course pr 25:05 and teammate improving his course mark by 1:53, Bret Schoolmeester (25:14) just nine seconds behind, it matched the finish the two had at the USA Junior National Championships last February in Houston, and marked the fourth straight year that the CU men finished in a 1-2 punch.

'I think we should finish every cross country race 1-2,' laughed Schoolmeester. 'I couldn't have gotten second to a better guy.'

In his first collegiate race, freshman Brent Vaughn (25:48) finished fourth overall, more than a minute improvement on his time trial effort in August, to score as CU's third runner.

'I'm a little disappointed. I didn't risk anything in the middle of the race. Had I risked something, I could have finished a little better. But this was my first college race, so I'll learn,' said Vaughn.

Running a race on this course for the first time since the 2001 season, Jared Scott (seventh, 25:43) scored as CU's fourth runner, and Jon Severy (13th, 26:04), fifth.

Colorado will have two weeks to prepare for next weekend's Pre-National Invitational on Oct. 18 in Waterloo, Iowa, site of this year's NCAA Championship in November.

'Obviously, we need to put Dathan (Ritzenhein) in the mix, and there's a good chance that Laura Zeigle will be back in a couple of weeks. We could have a very good end of the season,' Wetmore concluded.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN SHOOTOUT

Buffalo Ranch at CU South Campus (Boulder, Colo.)

MEN'S DIVISION I TEAM SCORES

1. COLORADO 15; 2. Air Force (B) 50

MEN'S NON-DIVISION I TEAM FINISHES

1. Adams State 20; 2.Western State 40; 3.CU-Colorado Springs 95; 4.Fort Lewis College 121; 5.Colorado School of Mines 145; 6.Wheeling (W.V.) Jesuit 146; 7. Dickinson (S.D.) State 212; 8. Regis 236; 9. Montana State-Billings 254

TOP-10 MEN'S FINISHERS

1. Billy Nelson, CU, 25:05; 2. Bret Schoolmeester, CU, 25:14; 3. Matt Levassiur, ASC, 25:21; 4. Brent Vaughn, CU, 25:28; 5. Cele Rodriguez, ASC, 25:35; 6. Mohamed Aden, ASC, 25:41; 7. Jared Scott, CU, 25:43; 8. Greg Winter, WSC, 25:47; 9. Jesus Solis, ASC, 25:49; 10. Moses Tum, UCCS, 25:58. Other CU Finishers: 13. Jon Severy, 26:04; 16. Casey Burchill, 26:18; 22. Payton Batliner, 26:53; 41. Austin Baillie, 27:44; 51. Will Campbell, 28:03; 67. Bryan Dillon, 28:49

WOMEN'S DIVISION I TEAM SCORES

1. COLORADO 15; 2. Northern Colorado 54; 3. Wyoming 74

WOMEN'S NON-DIVISION I TEAM SCORES

1. Adams State 22; 2. Western State 44; 3. CU-Colorado Springs 77; 4. Colorado School of Mines 120; 5. Fort Lewis College 161; 6. Wheeling (W.V.) Jesuit 146; 7. Dickinson (S.D.) State 212; 8. Regis 236; 9. Montana State-Billings 254

TOP-10 WOMEN'S FINISHERS

1. Alisha Williams, WSC, 20:46; 2. Natalie Florence, CU, 20:50; 3. Stephanie Bylander, ASC, 20:55; 4. Renee Metivier, CU, 20:59; 5. Emily Mortensen, ASC, 21:03; 6. Christine Bolf, CU, 21:13; 7. Victoria Martinez, ASC, 21:20; 8. Kalen Toedebusch, CU, 21:30; 9. Brianne Lippoldt, FLC, 21:43; 10. Rebekah Walter, ASC, 21:47. Other CU Finishers: 16. Shanna Sparks, 22:12; 28. Kendall Grgas-Wheeler, 23:06; 35. Jackie Zeigle, 23:45; 37. Raquel Morgan, 23:51; 41. Alex Forest 24:03; 43. Erin Marston, 24:04