MARIETTA, Ohio – The Capital University men’s and women’s cross country teams began their 2008 seasons with solid opening performances at the 2008 Carl Broughton Invitational hosted by Marietta College at the Carl Broughton Nature Preserve on Saturday morning.
The Crusader men finished fourth out of 10 teams while the women were sixth out of 10 teams on the same course that will host the Ohio Athletic Conference Championship later this season.
“I was proud of the effort that our teams gave today,” Capital Head Coach Rachel Barends said. “We had a great start to the season on the men’s side and our women performed well especially when you consider that we had some performers that were competing in their first ever collegiate meet.”
Capital scored 110 team points on the men’s side and was edged out by Heidelberg (26), Otterbein (46) and Notre Dame College (94). The top male performer was graduate student Bryan DeArdo (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington Central HS) who finished 16th overall with a time of 29:36.32.
Deardo was followed by sophomore Nate Wiring (North Lewisburg, Ohio/Tri-County HS) who crossed the line at 29:54.43 in 19th place and freshman Alex Moore (Hilliard, Ohio/Hillard Davidson HS) at 30:08.00 in 22nd place. Junior Joel Eversole (Waverly, Ohio/Waverly HS) and sophomore Emerson Rhoad (Zanesville, Ohio/Zanesville HS) rounded out a group of five Crusaders in the top half of the 91 total finishers in 31st and 42nd place respectively.
The trio of senior Joe Micelli (Newark, Ohio/Newark Catholic HS), freshman Conrad Booth (Dutch Harbor, Alk./Unalaska City HS) and sophomore Zack Link (Centerville, Ohio/Centerville HS) wrapped up the CU male performers.
Senior Shelly Gaines (Grove City, Ohio/Central Crossing HS) finished 26th overall with a time of 22:03.41 to lead the Capital women to a sixth place finish behind a group that included Otterbein, Alderson Broaddus, Saint Vincent, Marietta and Notre Dame College.
Classmate Kara Baker (Bellevue, Ohio/Sandusky Perkins HS) followed in 32nd place after crossing the line at 22:23.95 while freshman Sarah Trick (Tipp City, Ohio/Tippecanoe HS) placed 38th in a time of 22:57.98. Senior Lindsay Dearth (Westerville, Ohio/Westerville South HS) was less than a minute behind in 46th place at 23:23.47.
CU 400 meter hurdler Amy Shaw (Ashland, Ohio/Ashland HS) competed in her first ever cross country meet at any level on Saturday. The senior finished 77th overall with a time of 26:21.54. She was followed by a trio of freshmen in Jacqueline Swietochowiski (Des Plaines, Ohio/Maine West HS), Hannah Childs (Grandview Heights, Ohio/Grandview Heights HS) and Marissa Snyder (Montpelier, Ohio/Montpelier HS).
The Capital cross country squads will return to action next Saturday at the Cedarville Invitational.