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August 29, 2008

Tiger cross country team opens season with a bang

Cross CountryGetting strong performances from every one of its runners, the No. 4-ranked Cowley College men’s cross country team opened the season in impressive fashion as they easily won its home invitational Thursday at Camp Quaker Haven.

All 12 of the Tiger runners at the meet placed amongst the top-19 finishers as Cowley out-distanced second place Coffeyville by 51 points at the six-team meet.

“We were so pleased with the whole group of runners,” Cowley assistant cross country coach Mark Phillips said. “These kids are special, but there are a lot of miles between now and November.”

Freshman Dustin Mettler was the Tigers’ top-finisher as he placed second to only Cloud County standout Julius Bor (16:03.50). Mettler, a freshman from Duncan, Okla., finished the 5K race in a time of 16:16.90.

Sophomores Johnny Purvis (16:21.70) and Rolando Vasquez (16:27.90) finished just behind Mettler in third and fourth place, respectively.

“Those three guys ran really good,” Phillips said. “Coach (Vince) DeGrado has been doing a great job with all the guys.”

Fellow sophomores Justin Cacaro (16:42.30) and Nate Newland (16:53.30) placed sixth and seventh, while freshman Isabek Salinas (17:02.40) placed eighth amongst the 49 runners at the meet.

Cowley was without one of its top runners in Jonathan Cherono. However, the squad hopes to have him back for its next meet, Sept. 12 at the Friends Invitational held at Lake Afton near Goddard.

The Friends Invitational should present the Tiger runners with a bit of a tougher challenge.

“I want to see how we perform at a bigger meet,” Phillips said.

Cowley results: (2) Dustin Mettler, 16:16.90; (3) Johnny Purvis, 16:21.70; (4) Rolando Vasquez, 16:27.90; (6) Justin Cacaro, 16:42.30; (7) Nate Newland, 16:53.30; (8) Isabek Salinas, 17:02.40; (11) Brice Irving, 17:18.30; (12) Harrison Philp, 17:30.50; (13) Phillip Banowetz, 17:31.10; (14) Cianin Kutil, 17:39.70; (18) Justin Ross, 17:51.60; (19) T.J. Mapp, 17:52.10.

Team scores: (1) Cowley, 22; (2) Coffeyville, 73; (3) Cloud County, 87; (4) Butler, 95; (5) Colby, 106; (6) Neosho County, 142.