This story was written by Bay College SID Mike Pankow
ALANSON, MI – Bay Cross Country Team travelled to the MCCAA Northern Conference Meet hosted by North Central Michigan College. Bay's Women's Team put two runners in the All-Conference as well as All-Freshman Team while the Men's Team had three runners qualify for All-Conference and one runner as All-Freshman.
All-Conference awards go to runners in the top 14 spots in the conference race, while the first six freshmen to cross the line are named to the All-Freshmen Team.
On the women's side Lily Ross (FR, Houghton, MI) topped the Bay runners with a time of 20:53.31 which was good enough for sixth place. Alyssa Shirkey (FR, Wakefield, MI) was just five seconds behind in seventh place with a time of 20:58.85. Ross and Shirkey were the fifth and sixth freshmen to finish the race.
Makenna Hendrickson (FR, Baraga, MI), a newcomer to the team running her first every collegiate race finished with a time of 23:00.95. Emma Mitchell (FR, Rudyard, MI) set a new personal best with a time of 24:32.79. Kayla Farnes (SO, Escanaba, MI) posted her best time of the season, coming in with a 25:10.07.
Natalie Brogan (FR, L'Anse, MI) also posted her best time of her career, coming in at 25:46.34. Natalie Spreitzer (SO, Escanaba, MI) was close behind her with a time of 26:06.55, while Joelle Jordan (SO, Bark River, MI) had a strong race, cutting almost 30 seconds off her best time, coming in at 27:51.21.
"It was a great race for Joelle [Jordan]," said Head Coach Scott Carhoun after the meet. "She ran under 28 minutes for the first time in her running career. I am so happy for her!"
Montcalm Community College's Abby Davis (FR, Vestaburg, MI) was recognized as the Conference Runner of the Year, as she finished first with a time of 18:44.25.
Muskegon Community College finished first in the team standings with 35 points, earning the title of Conference Champions. Bay College had 89 points, good enough for fourth place.
On the Men's side it was Weston Knauf (FR, Wilson, MI) who set the pace for the Norse. His personal best time of 29:38.28 put him in tenth place to earn All-Conference honors, and was the sixth freshman to cross the line, earning him Northern Conference All-Freshman Team honors. Tanner Howes (SO, Gladstone, MI) also made the All-Conference list in twelfth place with a time of 29:54.42. Lawrence Caron (FR, Cornell, MI) joined his teammates on the All-Conference list by coming in fourteenth with a time of 30:09.40.
Ethan Lawrence (SO, Republic, MI) posted his season best time of 32:19.11. Jeremiah Castro (FR, Port St. Lucie, FL) was happy with his time of 35:51.22, which was a new personal best. Rounding out the effort for the Bay team was Oren Marcoe (SO, Daggett, MI) with a time of 36:31.95.
"I'm so happy for Lawrence [Caron] and Weston [Knauf]," said Carhoun. "This is Lawrence's first season running Cross Country at any level, and for him to earn the last spot to make the awards ceremony with Weston leading the way to his first ever collegiate awards ceremony is just awesome."
The Conference Runner of the Year was awarded to Mid Michigan's Drew Moore (SO, Grayling, MI). He won the event with a time of 27:02.39.
Muskegon Community College is the Conference Champions on the men's side as well, placing first with a team score of 44. Bay finished third with a score of 87.
Carhoun finished his thoughts on the event, "I'm really pleased with how well everyone ran today. To have three men and two women in the awards ceremony is a huge accomplishment and shows how far we've come as a program."
The Norse will be back in action next weekend as they will participate in the Firebird Invitational hosted by Kirtland Community College. That meet will be on October 4 at 1 pm.
