Depth on Display with 4th Place at ECAC's

(11/6/2010 2:13 PM) Full Results

Sandwiched between the NESCAC and New England Championships is the often minimized ECAC Championship race. It is frequently overlooked, as many of the top New England teams elect to rest several of their Varsity 7 for the next week’s national qualifying race; however, the correlation between ECAC performance and reloading for future years is something that cannot be over-emphasized. With this in mind, the Jumbos headed to Colt State Park in Bristol, RI for this fall’s ECAC Championships looking for one of their best ECAC finishes in recent years.

With the top eight finishers from last week’s NESCAC Championships sitting out, TUXC was represented by a mix of their 2nd and 3rd sevens. The seven Jumbos that toed the line this weekend came together to nab the 4th place spot with two individuals claiming All-ECAC honors.

It was an eventful week for the Jumbo squad leading into this Saturday, one which saw the loss of freshmen Sam Goodwin and Benji Hansen. Each were slotted to suit up this weekend, but sickness and a collision with a fire hydrant left them sidelined for the 8k race. Not losing a beat, the team stepped on the course ready to make a statement. And they would do exactly that.

The tandem of Sam Haney and Connor Rose made for a great 1-2 punch as each earned All-ECAC honors for their 12th and 13th place finishes. Freshman Brian McLaughlin assembled arguably the best XC race of his young career, finishing in 33rd overall. Right on his heels were senior Andrew Bellet (44th) and frosh Andrew Shapero (47th) to round out the scoring five. Sophomore Luke Maher had a breakout day as well with his 54th place finish. Junior Erik Antokal was the final Jumbo across the line in 29:02.

Course conditions and crowded trails led to slower times for most athletes, but from a purely ‘racing’ standpoint, the Jumbos were flawless. It was great to see the consistent movement and active, engaged racing that each of the seven Jumbos showcased. If this is the type of effort that the TUXC depth is capable of, then next weekend’s Regional Championships should be exciting to watch.

It will take a battle to advance out of the New England Region, known for it’s parity and at least nine teams capable of finishing in the top five. The Jumbos will just have to take care of their own efforts and see how the overall scores shake out. After another week of training, the squad will head west for the New England Championships hosted by Williams College. Race time is at 11:00am.


Full Results