Kansas Splits Sunflower Showdown
Sept. 7, 2007
LAWRENCE, Kan –
Led by senior Colby Wissel’s winning time of 15:07.6 the Kansas men’s cross country team defeated Kansas State 39-21 Friday at the Kansas State vs. Kansas Duel. The women’s team lost to the Wildcats 35-22.
Although Wissel’s time (15:07.6) wasn’t like last year’s sub-15 minute performance, he still dominated the field finishing 35 seconds ahead of runner-up and teammate Bret Imgrund in the 5K run. Imgrund’s time was nearly identical as last year’s finishing four tenths of a second better with a time of 15:42.2.
Kansas State had runners finish third and fourth, but after that it was Jayhawks that garnered the five through eight spots. The order of finish was Senior Patrick McGowan (15:57.5), freshman Nick Caprario (16:02.3), senior Jason Schweitzer (16:19.7) and sophomore Dan Van Orsdel (16:27.2). With six of the top eight finishers wearing the crimson and blue, Kansas came within six of a perfect score of 15.
Senior Alicia McGregor’s third place finish (19:09.8) led the women who lost to the Wildcats for the first time in two seasons. Senior Lisa Morrisey was the second Jayhawk to cross the finish line placing fourth with a time of 19:34.7. However the next two runners that finished were Wildcats giving KSU four girls in the top six. Senior Hayley Harbert set a new personal record of 19:40.1 for the 5K run. It was an improvement of the 19:46.5 time she ran at last year’s meet.
Beverly Ramos of Kansas State won the race with a time of 18:23.4.
Paul Hefferon, the Bob Timmons Invitational runner-up, and Lauren Bonds, KU’s leading runner last week, did not compete for Kansas.
The Jayhawks will take two weeks off and be in action next at the 22nd annual Roy Griak Invitational on Sept. 29. This is the first meet that will count towards points for qualifying for the NCAA Championships.
