Saturday, October 26, 2019
BILLINGS, Mont. – Western Washington has run well as a pack all year. When it mattered most, that pack mentality paid dividends.
The Vikings placed four runners in the top-10, all coming in within four seconds of each other, to win the program’s first title since 2009 at the GNAC Men’s Cross Country Championships on Saturday at Amend Park.
Senior James Jasperson led the way for the Vikings, placing fourth in a time of 25:24.5 over 8,000 meters. Junior Edward Kilobasa placed fifth in a time of 25:25.6, freshman Deyago Peraza was sixth in 25:27.4 and senior Liam Cossette was seventh in a time of 25:28.1. All four earned All-GNAC honors with top-10 finishes.
With junior Eric Hamel’s 16th place time of 25:44.2, the Vikings easily took the team title with a score of 38 points. Simon Fraser finished second with 76 points and Alaska Anchorage placed third with 79 points.
The Seawolves had the individual champion for the second year in a row with junior Felix Kemboi running away from the field to take the crown in a time of 25:44. Western Oregon senior Justin Crosswhite was second in 24:54.1 while UAA junior Wesley Kirui, last year’s individual champion, placed third in 21:10.8.
The snowy conditions did little to slow down the field, especially the trio of Kemboi, Crosswhite and Kirui, who separated themselves from the field right away. The three ran together until the 5-kilometer mark when Kemboi broke free and eventually built a 15-second lead on Crosswhite and Kirui. Crosswhite would reel in Kemboi some over the final kilometer, but not enough to challenge for the win.
In addition to his All-GNAC award, Peraza was named the Freshman of the Year. Saint Martin’s junior Marcus Rice earned Newcomer of the Year honors after he placed 29th in a time of 26:26.1.
Also earning All-GNAC honors with top-10 finishes was Seattle Pacific junior Elius Graff, who placed eighth 25:29.8; Central Washington junior Trevor Allen, who placed ninth in 25:32.2; and Simon Fraser junior Chris Sobczak, who placed 10th in 25:33.4.
The team championship is the fifth in program history for Western Washington. With the women’s title, it also marks the first time that a school other than Alaska Anchorage has swept the team championships. Kemboi’s individual victory is the 11th for Alaska Anchorage in the last 12 years.
Next up for all 11 GNAC teams is the NCAA Division II West Region Championships, which will take place on Sat., Nov. 9 at the Ash Creek Preserve on the Western Oregon University campus in Monmouth, Oregon.
2019 GNAC MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Amend Park, Billings, Mont. (Montana State Billings, Host)
Team Scores: Western Washington 38, Simon Fraser 76, Alaska Anchorage 79, Northwest Nazarene 112, Seattle Pacific 120, Western Oregon 121, Central Washington 168, Alaska 242, Saint Martin’s 259, Montana State Billings 290, Concordia 305.
Top 10 Finishers (All-GNAC): 1, Felix Kemboi, UAA, 24:44.0. 2, Justin Crosswhite, WOU, 25:54.1. 3, Wesley Kirui, UAA, 25:10.8. 4, James Jasperson, WWU, 25:24.5. 5, Edward Kiolbasa, WWU, 25:25.6. 6, Deyago Peraza, WWU, 25:27.4. 7, Liam Cossette, WWU, 25:28.1. 8, Elius Graff, SPU, 25:29.8. 9, Trevor Allen, CWU, 25:32.2. 10, Chris Sobczak, SFU, 25:33.4.
Athlete of the Year: Felix Kemboi, Alaska Anchorage
Freshman of the Year: Deyago Peraza, Western Washington
Newcomer of the Year: Marcus Rice, Saint Martin’s