Saturday, November 22, 2014

BILLINGS, Mont. – Three weeks after collecting the Great Northwest Athletic Conference individual men’s cross country title, University of Alaska Anchorage freshman Henry Cheseto ran away with the 10 kilometer title at the NCAA Division II West Region Championships Saturday afternoon at Amend Park.

Cheseto handily won the race in a time of 30:33.99, but the Chico State men’s team placed runners in positions four through eight, to collect the team title for the 10th time in the past 12 years and earn one of the six available team berths for the national meet.

The top six men’s teams will be joined by the top three individuals not on an advancing team  for the national meet, taking place at Tom Sawyer Park in Louisville, Kent., on Dec. 6.

Senior Johnny Sanchez (31:01.02) led the pack of Wildcats across the finish line in fourth place, with Kyle Medina (31:01.20), Nick Grubiss (31:04.26), Alex McGuirk (31:06.65), and Aaron Mora (31:07.54) following close behind to lead Chico to victory. Dillon Breen, another Wildcat senior, finished in 10th place, helping Chico to 30 points and a time of 2:35:20.67 as a team.

The next closest team was Alaska Anchorage (2:36:00.17), finishing with 53 points as Dominik Notz fended off Mark Huizar of Cal Poly Pomona to take second place. Dylan Anthony finished 11th for the Seawolves, and 2013 GNAC Freshman of the Year Victor Samoei placed 18th. 

Huizar, who finished with a time of 30:48.89, was just 0.29 seconds behind Notz of UAA (30:48.60). The Broncos (2:37:56.43) were the third-place team with 101 points to earn a berth to the national meet.

Finishing in fourth place as a team was Western Washington (2:39:41.90), which totaled 150 points. Isaac Griffith was the top finisher for the Vikings, crossing the line in 31:26.97 for 12th place.

Right behind Griffith was Robert Peterson of host Montana State University Billings, who earned a berth to the national meet as an individual in 13th place with a time of 31:29.05.

Cal Baptist (2:41:02.35) captured the No. 5 qualifying spot as a team with 208 points, as Taylor Guske crossed the line in ninth place with a time of 31:10.36.

Simon Fraser (2:41:48.30) also earned a berth to the national meet, joining their women's team, with a sixth-place finish and 225 points. Marc-Antoine Rouleau was the top individual for the Clan, posting a time of 31:49.65 for 26th place.

Also earning individual berths along with Peterson were Tanner Collins of UC San Diego (14th, 31:31.12), and Valentin Pepiot (15th, 31:32.29) of the Academy of Art.

Eight GNAC athletes, including six from Alaska Anchorage, earned USTFCCCA all-region honors by placing in the Top 25.

The UAA athletes in addition to Cheseto, Notz. Anthony and Samoei included Michel Ramirez (21st) and Edwin Kangogo (25th).  Joining that group on the all-region team were Griffith and Peterson.

Anthony's all-region award was his fourth.  He's the sixth GNAC athlete to accomplish that feat joining UAA's Micah Chelimo (2009-12), Alfred Kangogo (2008-09, 11-12), David Kiplagat (2005-08) and Jacob Parisien (2008, 10-12), and Bennett Grimes of Western Washington (2007-10),

NCAA West Regional (Nov. 22 at Billings) - 1. Chico State 30, 2. Alaska Anchorage 53, 3. Cal Poly Pomona 101, 4. Western Washington 150, 5. Cal Baptist 208, 6. Simon Fraser 225, 7. UC San Diego 239. 8. San Francisco State 253, 9. Azusa Pacific 283, 10. Cal State Stanislaus 285 (14. Central Washington 402, 15. Northwest Nazarene 430, 17. MSU Billings 454, 18. Alaska 455, 19. Western Oregon 457, 21. Saint Martin's 568, Seattle Pacific inc.). Individuals (GNAC All-Region) - 1. Henry Cheseto, UAA, 30:33.99; 2. Dominik Notz, UAA, 30:48.60; 11. Dylan Anthony, UAA, 31:20.89; 12. Isaac Griffith, WWU, 31:26.97; 13. Robert Peterson, MSUB, 31:29.45; 18. Victor Samoei, UAA, 31:37.25; 21. Michel Ramirez, UAA, 31:39.44; 25. Edwin Kangogo, UAA, 31:48.31.