Second Seven Capture ECAC Title
Women's cross country captured the ECAC title on Saturday, November 3, placing five runners in the top 15 to score 47 points ahead of Amherst's 63 and Middlebury's 104. Thirty-one complete 7-harrier squads participated in the event, as well as many individual competitors who filled out the 242 person field.
Traditionally, many Division III schools race their second seven runners at ECAC to rest the top seven group for competition at Div. III Regionals the following weekend. Since 2001, the ECAC team title has been passed between Williams and Amherst exclusively: while Williams had a three-peat in 2002-2004, the Jeffs won back-to-back in 2005 and 2006. The Williams-Amherst rivalry was no less intense Saturday, when both teams' powerful second seven squads were in strong contention for the title.
Held on the Ephs' home course at Mt. Greylock High, the 6 kilometer race led competitors through a series of wooded rolling hills and open field stretches. Crisp temperatures and dry conditions made for a perfect meet, with none of the wind and rain of last week's NESCAC championships. At the 11:30 gun, Sarah Weber ‘11, Bret Scofield ‘10, and Jess Clarke ‘10 leapt off the starting line and headed for the first baseball field loop. Natalia Rey de Castro '09 and Beth Links '09 also had fast starts while Laura Walls '08 and Tina Meade ‘11 lingered a bit farther back in the field.
Weber, Scofield, and Clarke formed a powerful trio and secured their spots among the lead pack, while Rey de Castro followed closely behind. Walls made a long sustained surge over the last third of the race, capturing many fatigued harriers to join her teammates up front. Meade caught up to Links in the last mile and they worked together through to the final straightaway. The top three Ephs were all within 10 meters as they started the final 600-meter push that winds around the soccer fields and track.
Clarke was the first Eph to cross the line in 6th place with a time of 23:19. Weber sped to 7th place shortly after, clocking in 23:23. Scofield, Walls, and Rey de Castro wrapped up the Ephs' five scorers, taking 9th (23:31), 11th (23:35) and 14th (23:36) places respectively. Meade and Links rounded out squad, cruising to 42nd (24:37) and 47th (24:41).
Leading from the start, Amherst's Katie Moravec was the individual champion, clocking in 23:03 to edge out teammate Kristen Ballinger (23:04) for the win. Although Amherst placed three in the top five finishers, the strong Williams pack placed five ahead of the Jeffs' remaining scorers to capture the title.
Reflecting on the final race of her career, Senior Laura Walls attributed the Ephs' victory to strong packing: "We had a great pack and put five in front of Amherst's four. It was really motivating to see a clump of white jerseys ahead of me in the last third of the race. I used them as motivation to pick off opponents. I knew we were in contention for the win."
Next Saturday the top seven travel to Waterford, CT to
participate in the New England Regional Championship, in hope to
secure one of the NCAA berths that goes to the top two teams.
