Falcons run away with conference cross country title

Published 10:02 pm Saturday, October 22, 2011

FROM STAFF REPORTS

University of Montevallo junior Haley Evans ran by all those who tried to stop her as she won the Falcons’ first Peach Belt Conference individual cross country title Oct. 22 at the Peach Belt Conference championship race.

Evans won the 6K race by more than 30 seconds. Her performance helped propel the Falcons to the women’s cross country team title, which is also the first in program history and the first women’s title for any Montevallo program in the Peach Belt Conference.

Evans’ time of 23:16.66 bested the school record for a 6K by almost 30 seconds.

Junior Kaley Glover crossed the line second for the Falcons and fifth overall with a time of 23:54.65, which ranks as the third fastest time in program history. Sophomore In-Mi Matsunaga came in third for the Falcons and seventh overall with a time of 24:04.73, which ranks as the sixth fastest time in program history. The final Montevallo runner in the top 10 was freshman Lauren Recchia, who finished 10th with a time of 24:16.24. Recchia’s time ranks as the eighth fastest time in program history.

Rounding out the Falcons top five was senior Katherine Schofield, who finished 21st overall with a time of 24:54.67. Senior Ginny Davis finished 31st overall with a time 25:29.87. The final Montevallo runner was freshman Katie Vanover, who finished 50th with a time of 27:03.67.

The Falcons finished 30 points ahead of second-place team Clayton State University and 38 points ahead of third-place team Augusta State University.

The Falcons will return to action Saturday, Nov. 5 at the NCAA Division II Southeast Region Championships.

The University of Montevallo men’s cross country team finished seventh out of nine teams in the Peach Belt Conference men’s cross country championship race.

Sophomore Aaron Bush, a Shelby County High School graduate, led the Falcons after finishing 15th overall with a time of 27:27.87, which ranks third in the Montevallo record book for top 8K times.

Freshman Zackery Walsh finished second for the Falcons and 22nd overall with a time of 27:52.23, which ranks sixth in the Montevallo record book. Sophomore Mark McDonald came across third for the Falcons and 26th overall with a time of 28:08.37.

Rounding out the Falcons top five were freshman Nick Fasanello and senior Austin McIntosh. Fasanello crossed the line 31st overall, while McIntosh finished 54th.

Sophomore Jake Davidson and freshman Brian Smith finished 57th and 58th, respectively.

Augusta State University won the event, followed by UNC-Pembroke and Clayton State University.