 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
NAIA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - Complete Results NAIA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - Photo Album The Dickinson State men's cross-country team finished their season exactly where they were ranked--in 21st place. Senior John Kungu finally captured the status he had been seeking for his collegiate career to become complete by earning All-American honors at the Parkside course in Kenosha, Wis. Kungu was dialed-in the entire day. His focus was evident during warm-ups, at the start line and at every point throughout the 8K race. It paid off handsomely. His 5:05 per mile pace and 25:16 overall time easily put him in the top 30 needed to earn All-American honors. Kungu's race was one of the best he had ever run. It was a deep field, some 258 strong, but Kungu would not be denied. Junior Aron Rono of Azusa Pacific University was in command from the start and won the race in 23:53, which was 35 seconds ahead of the next competitor. Kungu was delighted over his 17th place finish and he led the Blue Hawk team. Porfirio Parra ran in 41st place at a 5:10 pace and a 25:40 total time. The third Hawk to finish was Sal Bautista (26:47), followed by DAC Freshman-of-the-Year Hillary Kimutai (27:16), Sergio Jimenez (27:48), Pablo Puga (28:00) and Frank Ruiz (28:11). DSU's total score was 450 points. In the women's 5K race, Rose Jepkirui capped her excellent season with a 6:03 pace and 18:47 clocking, which was good for 55th place of 268 finishers. Men's Team Places 3rd, Await National At-Large Bid; Rose Jepkirui Gains Individual Berth
REGION III CHAMPIONSHIPS - Complete Results
REGION III CHAMPIONSHIPS - Photo Album The Blue Hawks traveled to Sioux Falls, So. Dak. this weekend to compete in the Region III Championships. The men have had better team races this year, but by scoring 92 points and taking 3rd place, they likely have earned themselves a trip to the NAIA National Championships in two weeks in Kenosha, Wisc. On the women's side, DSU finished in 10th place, but Rose Jepkirui secured an automatic individual berth by taking 4th place overall. She also earned All-Region honors. In the men's 8k race, Porfirio Parra was the top Hawk (25:40) running in 5th place and teammate John Kungu (25:56) also gained All-Region honors by virtue of his 10th place finish. Frank Ruiz, facing a decision mid-race when the pack he was running with suddenly divided, made an excellent instinctive choice and moved with others near him who continued to push the pace. Though he was quite gassed when he crossed the finish line, Ruiz was rewarded with a 30-second PR, was the third DSU runner to finish and took 17th place overall. Sergio Jimenez (26:37) and Sal Bautista (26:42) rounded out the Hawks top five. Jepkirui ran with the leaders the entire 5K distance and turned the tables on DAC rival Kerry Washburn--who won the DAC race--racing ahead of her by about 30 meters. Jepkirui’s time of 18:11 was just a fraction of a second over her best time of the season, showing that this talented athlete can run her best in the biggest races. Teammate Rayel McPeters finished in 23rd place in 19:28. Susan Torres (19:54), Kelsey Laib (23:09) and Tonia Becenti (24:26) completed the Blue Hawks’ scoring five. The men’s team must wait until early next week to see if they indeed ran well enough to gain an at-large berth. The Hawks came in to the meet ranked #13 nationally and it seems likely that they will get the nod, but only the Region’s winning team can be assured of an automatic ticket. Dickinson State’s 92 points easily out-distanced Hastings College’s 149 points, but the Blue Hawks were not able to challenge Black Hills State’s 36 nor Concordia University’s (Neb.) 74 points.
DSU Men Take MSU-Billings Invite; Porfirio Parra and Rose Jepkirui Win Individual Titles
MSU-BILLINGS INVITATIONAL - Complete Results
In their final tune-up before next week's Region III Championship in Sioux Falls, So. Dak., the Dickinson State cross-country teams travelled to compete in the MSU-Billings Invite this weekend. It was a much needed trip for the Hawks and they are ready to make next week's challenge their best race of the season.
Both races today were won by DSU athletes. In the women's 5K, Rose Jepkirui was in command from the starting gun and showed her confidence and poise in controlling the race. She cruised to a 28 second victory over an unnattached runner, but Jepkirui was 1:20 better than the second collegian to cross the finish line, Dianna Stanley of the host school. Rayel McPeters also looked sharp. She finished in fourth place in 19:42. Once she broke 20 minutes earlier this season she appears to be in no mood to ever look back--Saturday's competition is the fourth consecutive race that the Upton, Wyo. sophomore has been living in the sub-20 neighborhood. Susan Torres (20:29), Nancy Anel (21:28) and Kelsey Laib (23:18) rounded out the Hawks top five runners. Parra was in command of the men's 4-mile race (a departure, and about a mile shorter, from their standard 8K distance) at the end, but teammate and second place finisher Dan Molnar (20:44) led by several seconds at the one-mile mark. In truth, it might been the day for the two aforementioned Blue Hawks or even Sergio Campos-Jimenez (20:53) or Sal Bautista (20:54), who finished in third and fourth place. All DSU runners ran well, but these four seemed to respond especially well to the idyllic race conditions showing their mental and physical preparedness. DAC Freshman-of-the-Year Hillary Kimutai (21:22) was the final scorer for the Hawks in helping DSU to the team title with 17 points. The men have held their NAIA #13 ranking for two straight weeks after bumping up from #23. |
 |
|
 |
|||||
 |
 |
||||||
