Colorado Opens Season At Wyoming Invitational

Friday, September 6

Cheyenne, Wyo.

All Day

Colorado

Wyoming Invitational

Holly Bent recorded a first place finish at the Wyoming Invite

Photo by: Ken Moreland

September 07, 2019 | Cross Country

Results

By: Linda Sprouse, Associate SID

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The University of Colorado cross country teams got their 2019 season underway on Friday night at the Wyoming Invitational.

Both of CU's squads recorded second place finishes with a few of the Buffaloes' top runners racing unattached or not competing. The women were just five points from Colorado State (34-39), while the men totaled 51 points to Wyoming's 47 on the 5-kilometer course at The Little America Golf Course.

"Usually, at this time of the year, we know the front of the varsity, but not exactly who will fill in the rest," head coach Mark Wetmore said. "That's one of the functions of this first meet, to discover who might be traveling later in the season as the importance of the races ramps up."

WOMEN'S RACE:
Colorado's Holly Bent won the women's race, finishing just a nose in front of teammate Annie Hall as both recorded a time of 18:04.8. This was the first uniformed cross country race for Hill.

"That Holly looked good, and Annie Hill, is important," Wetmore said. "They seem to have good summers."

Right behind those two were a pair of unattached Buffaloes, Tabor Scholl and Sage Hurta, for third and fourth, respectively. Scholl finished in 18:05.1, while Hurta clocked in at 18:05.2.

The third CU runner to add to the team score was Karina Mann, finishing eighth overall (18:24.9). Liz Constien was fourth for the Buffs with a 16^th-place finish (18:50.8).

A pair of unattached freshman crossed the finish before CU's final scorer. Rylee Robinson finished 18^th overall (18:51.3), while Carley Bennett was 19^th (18:52.7). Bailey Nock was the fifth scorer for the Buffs, finishing 23^rd overall in 18:58.5.

MEN'S RACE:
The CU men were led by Alec Hornecker's third-place finish. Hornecker crossed the finish in 15:18.9. CU's second uniformed runner was Joe Klecker, who finished fifth in 15:19.5, just a half second behind Hornecker.

"Alec's performance is also important," Wetmore said. "He was beginning to emerge as a useful runner last spring, then had a good summer, but we didn't know completely how good until tonight. He seems to have taken a big step."

Running in his first collegiate race unattached, Kashon Harrison recorded a seventh-place finish (15:21.9), which was a full second in front of teammate John Dressel (15:22.9), who was running in uniform. CU's fourth scorer was Eduardo Herrera, clocking in a 12^th place finish (15:28.4).

Before CU's fifth scorer crossed the finish, the Buffs had a trio of unattached racers finish 14-15-16. Noah Hibbard led the group in 14^th with a time of 15:32.8, while Austin Vancil was 15^th (15:33.6). Rounding out the trio was Hunter Appleton (16^th, 15:40.6).

"Kashon (Harrison) was a little impulsive, but hung on to a good finish," said Wetmore. "Now we have to convince him to be more patient. The other freshman (Hibbard, Vancil and Appleton) were not far behind him. They have all had good summers. Some may end up in uniform this fall."

Paxton Smith was the fifth scorer for CU. He finished 38^th in a time of 16:11.6.

"A few of the older guys were not great. They have some work to get done," Wetmore said. "We race next in a month, so those people have some time to catch up."

UP NEXT: The Buffs will have four weeks off to prepare for the next competition, the Joe Piane Invitational, October 4, in South Bend, Ind.

RESULTS
Women's Team: 1. Colorado State 34; 2. Colorado 39; 3. Wyoming 68; 4. Western Colorado 82.

Women's Individual (CU Only): 1. Holly Bent, 18:04.8; 2. Annie Hill, 18:04.8; 8. Karina Mann, 18:24.9; 16. Liz Constien, 18:50.8; 23. Bailey Nock, 18:58.5

Unattached CU Runners: 3. Tabor Scholl, 18:05.1; 4. Sage Hurta, 18:05.2; 18. Rylee Robinson, 18:51.3; 19. Carley Bennett, 18:52.7; 30. Anna Shults, 19:31.2; 42. Alisa Meraz-Fishbein, 20:33.8

Men's Team: 1. Wyoming 47; 2. Colorado 51; 3. Colorado State 56; 4. Western Colorado 90; 5. Northern Colorado, 108.

Men's Individual (CU Only): (1. Paul Roberts, UW, 15:05.3) 3. Alex Hornecker, 15:18.9; 5. Joe Klecker, 15:19.4; 8. John Dressel, 15:22.9; 12. Eduardo Herrera, 15:28.4; 38. Paxton Smith, 16:11.6; 43. Justice Ramos, 16:15.4; 52. Jonathan Horton, 16:28.3; 57. Josh Ramos, 16:38.3; 59. Alex Scales, 16:48.4

Unattached CU Runners: 7. Kashon Harrison, 15:21.9; 14. Noah Hibbard, 15:32.8; 15. Austin Vancil, 15:33.6; 16. Hunter Appleton, 15:40.6;