Rio Grande News
Matthew Spencer was the men's individual winner at the Red & White Invitational
Matthew Spencer was the men's individual winner at the Red & White Invitational
Fri, Oct 30, 2009 - [Men's Cross Country]

October 30, 2009

RedStorm run well at Rio Red & White

Rio Grande ---The University of Rio Grande RedStorm men's and women's cross country teams had a final tune-up before the Mid-South Conference Championships, set for next weekend, with the Rio Red & White Invitational on Friday afternoon at the Stanley Evans Field Cross Country Complex. 

All tolled four schools were represented, but Rio Grande was the only squad to furnish a full team in either race.
 
Rio Grande, who received 42 votes in the most recent NAIA Top 25 poll, claimed the top seven positions with junior Matthew Spencer (Pickerington, OH) out-distancing the field. Spencer covered the 3.1-mile (5,000 meters) distance in 15:48.

Sophomore Bryce Wilson (Jackson, OH) was runner-up with a time of 15:56 and sophomore Nick Wilson (Fleming, OH) finished 3rd overall with a time of 15:58.

Sophomore Chad McCarty (Tipp City, OH) finished 4th (17:31) and sophomore Zane Miller (Grove City, OH) rounded out the top five, crossing the finish line in 17:37. 

Sophomore Andrew Edmunds (Huntington, WV) ran 6th with a time of 17:46 and sophomore Chas Whittington (Patriot, OH) was 7th (18:15).

The RedStorm would have two more runners finish in the top 10, freshman Jordan Strickland (Oak Hill, OH) was 9th (18:50) and senior Kyle Hively (Vinton, OH) was 10th (19:29). 

There were 26 runners in the men's race. 

Rio Grande head coach Bob Willey was pleased with his how his teams performed. "We're like all the other programs in the country, we're suffering from sickness, the flu has hit us pretty hard this week," he said. "Both teams performed very well today, they packed well in the women's race, very well in the men's race."

Willey talked about the key for the both teams in next week MSC Championships. "The key for us will be the four and five (runners), we've got to get four and five up a little closer to one, two and three," Willey said. "One, two and three are running very close together with the men and women, so that's very exciting."

"We had some outstanding performances today, it was a great day to be a runner, we'll take this one," he added. "We're just trying to get our legs underneath us and get ready for conference at Louisville next weekend. "

"It will be very good competition in the Mid-South," Willey said. "I'm happy with the performances today." 

The Mid-South Conference Meet will be next Saturday, November 7 beginning at 12:30 p.m.