Wednesday, October 12, 2022

CHASING PERFECTION: A 15-point score in cross country, where a team sweeps the top five places, is a rarity at the college level. This season, two GNAC teams have accomplished the feat.

The latest is the Simon Fraser men, who swept the top five places at Friday’s San Francisco State Invitational. The performance earned the Red Leafs selection as the GNAC Team of the Week.

Simon Fraser head coach Brit Townsend said that the victory, and the perfect score, shows how well the Red Leafs are progressing as a team.

“The whole purpose of these cross country races is to try and get our top five, seven and even 10 as close to the front guy as possible,” Townsend said. “Achieving this goal shows us that we have tremendous depth on our men’s team and they are stepping up and battling to win those positions.”

Sophomore Charlie Dannatt led the way, earning GNAC Co-Athlete of the Week honors with his winning time of 24:42.7. The five scoring runners were separated by just 33 seconds.

Dannatt shared Men’s Athlete of the Week honors with Western Washington sophomore Kevin McDermott, who placed seventh for the Vikings at the Lewis Crossover in Illinois in a time of 24:18. The performance led the Vikings to a third-place team finish in the high-powered Division II invitational.

The Western Washington men had the other perfect score this season, opening the season with a 15-point performance at the CWU Apple Ridge Run on Sept. 10.

On the women’s side, Saint Martin’s freshman Alauna Carstens repeated as the Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week. She was the top conference placer at the San Francisco State Invitational, finishing fifth with a time of 21:48.4 over 6,000 meters.

Most GNAC teams are taking a week off from competition before converging on University Place, Washington for the Division II Pre-Nationals meet on Saturday, Oct. 22. Western Oregon is the only competing squad, taking part in the L&C Invitational on Saturday.

2022 GNAC RACE WINNERS
MEN
Coleman Nash, UAA (UAF Blue/Gold Race, Aug. 27, 27;17, 8,000m)
Coleman Nash, UAA (Seawolf Throwdown, Sept. 3, 25:22, 8,000m)
Jeret Gillingham, WWU (CWU Apple Ridge Run, Sept. 10, 18:50.9, 6,000m)
Ase Ackerman, MSUB (Gage McSpadden Memorial, Sept. 10, 18:52.2, 6,000m)
Hunter Hutton, WOU (Ash Creek Collegiate, Sept. 16, 17:51.2, 6,000m)
Charlie Dannatt, SFU (SF State Invitational, Oct. 7, 24:42,7, 8,000m)

WOMEN
Kendall Kramer, UAF (UAF Blue/Gold Race, Aug. 27, 18:28, 5,000m)
Riley Smith, WOU (Linfield Harrier Classic, Sept. 2, 15:10.5, 4,000m)
Kendall Kramer, UAF (Seawolf Throwdown, Sept. 3, 22:17, 6,000m)
Libby Michael, SPU (Puget Sound Invitational, Sept. 3, 18:58, 5,000m)
Sophie Wright, WWU (CWU Apple Ridge, Sept. 10, 15:23.2, 4,000m)
Alauna Carstens, SMU (John Payne Curtis Invitational, Oct. 1, 18:43.3, 5,000m)

THIS WEEK'S GNAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN
Charlie Dannatt, Simon Fraser
Sophomore • North Vancouver, B.C.

Dannatt won the San Francisco State Invitational on Friday, covering the 8,000-meter course in a time of 24:42.7. He led a top-five sweep for the Red Leafs as they won the meet with a perfect score of 15 points.

Kevin McDermott, Western Washington
Sophomore • Port Orchard, Wash.

McDermott led the Vikings at the high-powered Lewis Crossover in Illinois on Saturday. He placed seventh in a time of 24:18 and led Western Washington to a third-place finish out of 22 teams in the meet.

Also Nominated: Ty Savely (Central Washington), Ase Ackerman (Montana State Billings).

WOMEN
Alauna Carstens, Saint Martin’s
Freshman • Shelton, Wash.

Carstens was the top GNAC finisher at Friday’s SF State Invitational. Carstens placed fifth as she covered the 6,000-meter course in 21:48.4, finishing just over a second ahead of Simon Fraser’s Megan Roxby. She led the Saints to a fourth-place team finish.

Also Nominated: Kailee Stoppel (Montana State Billings), Megan Roxby (Simon Fraser), Sophie Wright (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
• Competing for the first time since Sept. 3, Alaska posted a third-place women’s finish and a fifth-place men’s finish at the Yellowjacket/Battlin’ Bear Invite on Friday in Billings, Montana.

• The UAF women placed three runners in the top five to finish third with a team score of 62 points, just two points behind second-place Rocky Mountain. Sophomore Kendall Kramer led the way with a second-place individual finish, covering the 5,000-meter course in 17:04.7.

• Sophomore Naomi Bailey placed third in a time of 17:05.8 while sophomore Rosie Fordham rounded out the top five with a fifth-place time of 17:34.2.

• The Alaska men compiled a score of 136 points to place fifth out of eight competing teams. Junior Nolan Everest led the way, placing 36th in a time of 28:00.8 over 8,000 meters. Freshman Josh Baurick was 40th in 28:15.7.

• Alaska will not compete this week and returns to the course at the Division II Pre-Nationals on Sat., Oct. 22 in University Place, Washington.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage has not raced since Sept. 24. The Seawolves return to the course on Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Division II Pre-Nationals meet in University Place, Washington.

• Alaska Anchorage ran to a pair of sixth-place finishes at the WWU Bill Roe Classic in Ferndale, Washington on Sept. 24.

• Sophomore Coleman Nash took second place in the men’s race, covering the 8,000-meter course in 24:25.8. He was the top collegiate runner in the race and finished 11 seconds ahead of Western Washington’s Kevin McDermott.

• The Alaska Anchorage men finished with a score of 144 points. Junior Michael Zapherson was the Seawolves’ No. 2 finisher, placing 26th in a time of 25:48.1.

• The Seawolves’ women finished with a score of 162 points. Freshman Elle Stevens was the top UAA finisher, placing 21st in a time of 23:04.5 over 6,000 meters. Senior Alfin Nyamasyo was 27th in a time of 23:21.2.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Racing for the third time in as many weeks, Central Washington put together a fifth-place men’s finish and a seventh-place women’s finish at the LC State Invitational on Saturday in Lewiston, Idaho.

• The Wildcats’ men scored a total of 130 points. Sophomore Ty Savely led the way, placing 15th with a personal-best time of 25:22 for 8,000 meters.

• Sophomore Shawn Clough came across in 30th place in a time of 25:58 while freshman Jack Pratapas placed 32nd in a time of 26:17.

• The CWU women finished with a score of 165 points, just two points behind Eastern Oregon and six points behind Willamette. All five scoring runners grouped within 28 seconds of each other.

• Sophomore Rose Melville led CWU, placing 37th in a time of 20:00 over 5,000 meters. Sophomore Tailer Cochran was 39th in 20:05.

• Central Washington will not compete this week. The Wildcats will be back on the course on Sat., Oct. 22, competing in the Division II Pre-Nationals in University Place, Washington.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings raced to a third-place men’s finish and a fifth-place women’s finish as it hosted the Yellowjacket/Battlin’ Bear Invitational on Friday at Amend Park.

• The Yellowjacket men finished with 71 points. Senior Ase Ackerman was the team’s top finisher in either race, placing fifth as he covered the 8,000-meter course in 25:20.4.

• Senior Logan Straus turned in a 15th-place finish in 25:57.4 while junior Bryant Edgerton rounded out the top 20 as he placed 20th in a time of 26:28.5.

• The MSUB women finished with a score of 88 points, 11 points behind fourth-place South Dakota Mines. Senior Kailee Stoppel led the way, placing seventh in a time of 18:31.6 over 5,000 meters. Freshman Alahna Lien finished 18th in 19:38.8.

• Montana State Billings does not compete again until the Division II Pre-Nationals on Sat., Oct. 22.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Returning to action for the first time in two weeks, Northwest Nazarene placed third in the men’s race and fifth in the women’s race at the Steve Reeder Memorial Invitational on Friday in Logan, Utah.

• The NNU men compiled a score of 74 points. Freshman Brody Kemble led the Nighthawks, placing 29th in a time of 23:06.22 over 7,000 meters. Junior Norman Kosgei placed 34th in 23:44.07.

• The Nighthawks women finished with a score of 124 points. Freshman Morgan Erler was the top NNU finisher, placing 25th in a time of 19:43.34 over 5,000 meters. Freshman Keelin Stewart placed 35th in a time of 21:01.49.

• Northwest Nazarene will compete next at the Division II Pre-Nationals on Sat., Oct. 22 in University Place, Washington.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s captured a pair of fourth-place finishes at the San Francisco State Invitational on Friday at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.

• Freshman Alauna Carstens earned her second straight GNAC Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week award. She was the top conference finisher in the race, placing fifth in a time of 21:49.7 over 6,000 meters and beat out Simon Fraser’s Megan Roxby by one second.

• The SMU women finished with a score of 85 points. Sophomore Cassidy Walchak-Sloan added a seventh-place finish in 21:57.5 while sophomore Sara Sabra placed 12th in 22:18.6.

• The Saint Martin’s men scored 109 points, just four points behind third-place Cal State East Bay. Sophomore Isaac Cortes was the Saints’ top finisher, placing 13th with a time of 25:40.1 over 8,000 meters.

• Sophomore Kainalu Pagente also scored a top 20 finish, placing 15th in a time of 25:44.8.

• Saint Martin’s does not race again until the short trip to University Place, Washington for the Division II Pre-Nationals.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific did not race last week and will not return to the course until hosting the Division II Pre-Nationals on Sat., Oct. 22.

• Seattle Pacific made its annual trip to Salem, Oregon on Oct. 1, placing sixth in the women’s race and ninth in the men’s race at the Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational.

• The Falcons women scored 185 points and were the No. 2 non-Division I team in the field. Running in her first race of the season, sophomore Annika Esvelt delivered a solid performance as she finished ninth in a time of 18:21.4 over 5,000 meters.

• A sprinter by trade, senior Vanessa Aniteye was the Falcons’ No. 2 runner, placing 33rd in a time of 19:07.8.

• The SPU men scored 254 points to place 19 points behind Division I Portland State. Junior Brennan LeBlanc was the Falcons’ top finisher, placing 28th in a time of 25:22.9 over 8,000 meters.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser’s men blistered Golden Gate Park for a perfect score while the women were a close third at the San Francisco State Invitational on Friday.

• Simon Fraser won with a score of 15 points, the second time that a GNAC has finished with a perfect score in a meet with three or more teams competing. The performance earned the Red Leafs selection as the GNAC Team of the Week.

• Sophomore Charlie Dannatt shared GNAC Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week honors after he won in a time of 24:42.7 over 8,000 meters. He was five seconds ahead of junior Sebastian Brinkman, who was second in a time of 24:49.4. It was Dannatt’s first SFU cross country race victory.

• Rounding out the top five for the Red Leafs was sophomore Scott Arndt in third (25:05.6), junior Ephrem Mekonnen in fourth (25:11.9) and sophomore Aiden Good in fifth (25:13.4).

• The Simon Fraser women compiled a score of 59 points, one point behind second-place Cal State East Bay and two points behind Concordia.

• Senior Megan Roxby led two SFU runners in the top 10 with her sixth-place finish in a time of 21:49.7 over 6,000 meters. Junior Grace Chalk placed ninth in a time of 22:04.7.

• Thanks to the victory in the Bay Area, Simon Fraser’s men leaped 10 spots to No. 20 in this week’s USTFCCCA Division II Coaches Poll. The Red Leafs women dropped out after being ranked No. 28 last week.

• Simon Fraser does not race again until the Division II Pre-Nationals on Sat., Oct. 22.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon did not race last week. The Wolves will be the only GNAC team competing this week, taking part in the L&C Invitational on Saturday in Estacada, Oregon.

• On the home course for the second time this season, Western Oregon ran to a second-place women’s finish and a third-place men’s finish at the Mike Johnson Classic on Sept. 30 in Monmouth.

• The men finished with a team score of 69 points. Senior Bailey Smith placed third in the men’s 8,000-meter race. Smith covered the course in a time of 24:43.6, placing six seconds behind champion Juan Rosales of San Diego Mesa.

• Sophomore Easton Pomrankey placed 15th in 25:33.2 and sophomore Cedar Davis-Frankfort was 16th in 25:37.8.

• The WOU women scored 65 points to place second. Freshman Ali Clifton was the Wolves’ lead runner, placing eighth in a time of 22:37.9 for 6,000 meters. Freshman Riley Smith placed ninth in a time of 22:41.2.

• All five WOU women’s placers finished in the top 20. Freshman Natalie Perez was 14th in 23:11.4. Sophomore Olivia Flack was 15th in 23:15.9 and sophomore Katie Chapman placed 19th in 23:22.3.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Competing in one of the country’s larger Division II invitationals, Western Washington ran to a third-place men’s finish and a seventh-place women’s finish at the Lewis Crossover on Saturday in Romeoville, Illinois.

• The Vikings men compiled a score of 82 points, just two points behind second-place Illinois-Springfield. The team grouped well again with just 19 seconds between the scoring five.

• Sophomore Kevin McDermott shared GNAC Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week honors for his seventh-place finish, covering the 8,000-meter course in a time of 24:18.

• Sophomore Jeret Gillingham placed 16th in a time of 24:29. Sophomore Ryan Clough rounded out WWU’s top 20 finishers, placing 19th in a time of 24:35.5.

• The WWU women finished with a score of 210 points. Sophomore Sophie Wright led the Vikings, placing 23rd in a time of 22:27.1 over 6,000 meters. Sophomore Mia Crocker placed 28th in 22:35.8.

• With the performance at Lewis, Western Washington’s men climbed nine spots to No. 17 in this week’s USTFCCCA Division II Coaches Poll. The women continue to be ranked at No. 28, dropping 10 spots from last week.

• Western Washington does not compete again until the Division II Pre-Nationals on Sat., Oct. 22 in University Place, Washington.