Third Place at Bates Invite, Depth in Reserve

(9/20/2010 7:52 AM) See more Photos     Full Results

Returning to the site of the 2008 NESCAC Championships, the Jumbos did not begin the season looking back but instead with an eye to the future. It was a young squad that ventured up to New Gloucester, ME: only four runners from the current team raced on the course two years before. Of those four, three improved their time (senior co-captain Jeff Ragazzini, classmate Andrew Bellet, and junior Connor Rose). A promising feat as they all ran conservatively for the first few miles of the race.

Young faces dominated the Jumbos’ top five. Sophomore Matt Rand cruised the last two miles to finish in 26:41 for sixth place overall. Lone senior Jeff Ragazzini represented the upperclassmen well, crossing the line in 7th place as the second Jumbo finisher. He was followed by hard-kicking sophomore Sam Haney and his aerobic-machine classmate, Tyler Andrews. Kyle Marks rounded out the Jumbo scorers. These five clocked an impressive 12 second spread at the finish.

The Jumbos' showed signs of promise throughout the pack. Senior co-captain Jerzy Eisenberg-Guyot ran his first 8k in over a year in a solid 28:08. Freshman Jamie Norton garnered one of the most impressive showings of the day. The 16:39 5ker ran 28:30 for his first collegiate 8k. Considering Norton came through the two mile mark in 12:00, someone could easily make the case that his 16:30 last three miles was a new XC PR.

Next week, the Jumbos head to Williamstown, MA, for the Purple Valley Classic. The team looks to put in its first solid effort of the season with the full squad on the line. A number of Jumbos who rested for the Bates Invitational are chomping at the bit to toe the line. Chris Brunnquell, who was an All Region finisher last fall, looks to join Scott McArthur and the rest of the class of 2014 next weekend at Williams.


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