2nd place for 2nd seven at ECACs

(11/14/2011 8:20 AM) Full Results

After a difficult day of racing at the NESCAC Championships, the Jumbos returned to action at the ECAC Championships with something to prove as a program. Muddy conditions at Amherst College kept many runners from feeling pleased with their final performance at the conference championships. Williams College would offer the complete opposite situation, ideal race conditions.

Seventeen inches of snowfall threatened to hinder the ECAC race; however, a weeks worth of warm, sunny weather melted the entirety of the October blizzard leaving the Mt. Greylock course in prime racing form. Grass loops that are normally a soft and spongy were hardened over and besides a few scattered muddy sections, the course was in top notch form.

The Jumbos’ second seven took complete advantage of course to finish 2nd overall with 77 points. Only the hosts, Williams College, could out pace the Jumbos. Early on, Sam Haney, Scott McArthur, and Jerzy Eisenberg Guyot established themselves inside the top 20 ran a smooth first 2.5 miles. Just back of them sat sophomores Jake McCauley and Benji Hansen and freshmen Sam Garfield. Junior Luke Maher rounded out the team as he coasted through the 2.5 mile mark in 45th place.

From there, the team started to move. Haney surged up and was able to outkick a number of other runners to finish 7th overall. McArthur and Eisenberg Guyot struggled a bit over the final 1k, but held their ground for 16th and 19th overall. Running an incredibly impressive final 2k that saw him move up almost 30 places was Jake McCauley. He blew past packs of runners to finish 9th overall and 2nd for the Jumbos.

Just as McCauley closed well, as did Maher. Maher steadily moved up over the final 2.5 miles of the race to move from 45th to 26th overall. With 5 athletes in the top 26 and 6 in the top 30, the Jumbos put their depth on great display. With the exception of the winning Williams squad, the Jumbos were able to put six finishers in front of every other squads 4th man.

This ECAC squad did exactly what they set out to accomplish. Race hard, finish strong, and kick start momentum for next weekends National Qualifier. With one senior in the top seven and two on this ECAC squad, this Jumbo depth should be able to power the team for years to come.

Seniors Jerzy Eisenberg Guyot and co-captain Scott McArthur have been leaders and mentors for this TUXC squad for years. Their loss will be felt as they have been tenacious racers for the Jumbos and we can only hope that the squad will be able to step up and fill the void they will leave.


Full Results