Cross country starts strong
Waterman finishes first, Hojnacki third
By Matt Muncy, September 10, 2009
Both cross-country teams finished strong in their season-opening race last weekend. In their only home meet of the season the men finished first while the women came in second at the Sodexo Grizzly Invitational at the Hoosier Horse Park.
“It is our only chance to be at home,” said head coach Paul Sargent. “It is the beginning of the season and the first meet you are always jacked up for.”
The win was the fourth in a row for the men at the invitational. Franklin beat Earlham by five points, 68 to 73.
Wilmington’s senior Austin Stiles won the men’s 8-kilometer race with a time of 26:35.64.
Franklin junior Jake Hojnacki was the first Grizzly to cross the finish line, in third place, with a time of 26:45.29. Junior Kevin Martin finished finished in 11th place, while senior Scotch Swango, and sophomore Jay Druba also placed in the top 20.
Franklin junior Heather Waterman beat Wilmington’s Annie Cekada by almost seven seconds to take first place. Waterman ran in 18:49.81 while Cekada finished in 18:56.33.
“I was just excited to start my season off with a win,” Waterman said. It was my first cross-country win and it felt good to win at home. I had to represent.”
The 5-kilometer race was won by Wilmington with Franklin 14 points behind.
Senior Kristi Brown was fourth and sophomore Shannon Egold came in seventh at 19:50.81, while freshman Katie Spellman and sophomore Holly Hatch also placed in the top 20.
Both teams will travel to run in the Madison-Kiwanis Hanover Invitational Saturday morning.
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