Overall Depth Leads to Victory on Both Sides

TACOMA, Wash. -- Despite missing 2008 NCAA West Region individual champion Nick Gallagher, the Whitworth University men's cross country team still relied on overall team depth to race to victory at the Puget Sound Invitational on Saturday morning. The Whitworth women were just as impressive while winning for the second time this season.

Tyler Dudley

Joy Shufeldt

Despite the absence of Gallagher, who was rested because of a slight foot injury, the Pirate men overcame a 1st-3rd finish by Linfield College. After Wildcat Shawn Fisher won the 8 kilometer race in 25:57.92 and teammate Chris McIsaac was third, Whitworth runners crossed in fourth, fifth and sixth place. Tyler Dudley was fourth in 26:33.46, Aaron Jenkins (26:34.55) was fifth and Dusty Caseria (26:44.04) was sixth. Then Trevor Barrian (27:02.57) and Collin Stewart (27:08.25) followed in 11th and 12th place, respectively.

With its top five runners coming across among the first 12 finishers, Whitworth carried the day with its depth. The final team scores were: Whitworth 38, Linfield 46, Whitman 83, Lewis & Clark 94, Puget Sound 126, Pacific Lutheran 135 and Highline CC 196.

The final women's scores were: Whitworth 36, Whitman 52, Lewis & Clark 78, Linfield 85, Pacific Lutheran 131, Puget Sound 149, Highline CC 222.

Marci Klimek of Linfield won the women's six kilometer race in 22:23.45. But Whitworth's Dana Misterek followed in second place with a time of 23:38.57 and Joy Shufeldt was close behind in third place in 22:50.93. Tonya Turner was eighth in 23:12.34 and Kathryn Williams was 10th in 23:34.12, giving Whitworth four finishers among the top ten placers. Then Kaitlin Hildebrand completed the Whitworth scoring with her 13th place finish in 23:45.17.

Women's Results (PDF) / Men's Results (PDF).

Whitworth now will prepare for the 2009 Northwest Conference Championship meet on October 31st. The Pirate men are defending championship, while the women shared runner up with Whitman last fall. The race will take place at McIver State Park in Estacada, Oregon.