Solid Start for Spartan Harriers at Mustang Gallop
Aug 30, 2014
2014 Mount Mercy University Mustang Gallop
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – An early weather delay at the 21st annual Mt. Mercy Mustang Gallop didn’t faze the University of Dubuque men’s and women’s cross country teams as they placed third and fourth, respectively. UD men tallied 110 and the UD women totaled 75 points. Youth played its hand for both sides as just three seniors completed the race between both genders. Nine out of the 14 combined varsity finishers were sophomores or younger.
Navigating the non-traditional 5k course on the men’s side was freshman Alec Bass (15:58) who opened with a bang to the tune of a top-10 finish. UD’s 5000-meter indoor track record holder, Payton Nevills, followed in 15th (16:16). Rounding out the top-5 was freshman Jack Lindsay (20th, 16:23), Jordan Murray (30th, 17:10), and Remington Meggers (36th, 17:44).
Third-place finisher Fabiola Ortiz paced the Spartans on the women’s side with a solid 4k time of 15:14. Freshman Sybbie Sears earned herself a 10th place debut with a time of 15:41. Kiersten Wenthold (14th, 16:10), freshman Skylar Brooks (23rd, 16:24), and lone women’s senior Sam Holen (25th, 16:38) completed the varsity squad.
“Most of our freshman ran tough and really well,” assistant coach Geoff Gundlach said in regards to the Spartans youth movement. “Alec and Jack were awesome for us on the men’s side and looked under control. Sears did a great job with a tenth place finish in her first collegiate race.”
The future looks bright for UD cross country as they continue to improve and make strides at the Central Dutch Invite this Saturday, September 6.
