The USM cross-country teams continued to be a dominating force in Division III cross country, as they participated in the Little East Conference and New England Alliance Championship in Keene, New Hampshire on Saturday. The men’s team swept both championships, and the women’s placed second.
All- LEC Conference runner Tyler Jasud (Rumford) continued his tremendous 2009 campaign as he placed first overall in the race that featured 155 runners, to lead USM to their third LEC Championship in the last four years. Jasud, who finished in a time of 26:02, became just the third runner in the 13-year history of the New England Alliance Men’s Cross Country Championships to record back to back individual first place performances. Jasud was joined by four of his teammates in the top ten and two others in the top three as the Huskies edged out annual rival Keene State by just four points.
The second USM point scorer in the top ten was sophomore sensation Alex Gomes (Peabody, MA) who finished fourth overall in a time of 26:32. Senior tri-captain Justin Richardson (Turner) continued his solid running as he placed fifth in a time of 26:34, sophomore John Vallo (Beacon, NY) finished the race seventh overall in a time of 26:55 and senior Nick Downing (Winthrop) earned a tenth place finish in a time 27:12. Sophomore Tim Even (Stoneham) crossed the finish line 14th in a time of 27:34.
The USM men’s cross-country team is maintaining its consistency as a top team in every race they compete in. Four Huskies (Jasud, Gomes, Richardson, and Vallo) claimed spots out of seven runners on the 2009 Little East Men’s Cross Country All-Conference Team, and Downing and Even joined the four as they garnered All-Alliance acknowledgment.
Carly Dion (Biddeford) acted as the catalyst for the women’s team as they claimed a second place finish behind annual powerhouse Keene State Owls who won their ninth straight LEC women’s cross-country championship. Dion, who has been the Huskies most consistent runner all year, covered the 5,000 meter course at Keene State in a time of 19:41. The rest of the point tally for USM was rounded out by a cast that included freshman Jennie Foley (Bangor) who completed the course finishing eighth in a time of 20:17, junior Erin Garvey (Haverhill, MA) and senior captain Sarah Myrick (Weybridge, VT) ended up placing 12th and 13th with times of 20:22 and 20:23. Brooke Madden, who is a freshman from Dedham, was the fifth finisher for the Huskies as she placed 20th in a time of 20:56.
USM finished the Alliance race with a total of 59 points, followed by Westfield State who tallied 81 points. In the LEC Race USM finished behind Keene with 44 points and Umass Dartmouth came in third with 94 points.
Dion and Foley earned All- Little East honors for placing in the top seven, and all top five Husky finishers picked up All-Alliance accolades.
The USM men’s and women’s cross-country teams will return to action in their dominating 2009 season on Saturday Nov. 7 when they travel to Williamstown, MA to compete in the ECAC Division III Championship at Mt. Greylock High School.