Maryland Eastern Shore sweeps Lid Lifter Invitational title
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. — The Hawks cross country team picked up right where they left off from a year ago, as they opened their 2015 campaign with a pair of team wins at the UMES Lid Lifter 5k on Saturday. Furthermore, junior Khalil Rmidi Kinini continued his winning ways by coming in first in the men’s race with a time of 15:25.02, besting his own course record.
Four other Hawks captured top ten finishes behind Rmidi Kinini. Sophomore Stanley Meli took third at 16:09.24, freshman Jordan Leon came in fifth with a time of 16:12.45 in his debut as a Hawk. Sophomore Donovan Mundy finished behind Leon with a 16:18.47, sixth place time and freshman Nicholas Rivera came in tenth at a clip of 16:27.01. Both Mundy and Rivera made their Hawk debuts at the Lid Lifter.
Overall, the men’s team scored 25 points to take the meet over four other schools competing.
The Lady Hawks were led by junior Rachel Halmon who placed third with a time of 20:03.15. She was immediately followed by two Hawk newcomers—freshman Yaminah Smith and junior Jennaya Hield. Smith captured a fourth place finish with a time of 20:07.51 and Hield’s time of 20:08.22 was good enough for fifth.
Senior Jheniel Kelly took eighth place with a time of 21:23.26 and sophomore Janice Lane registered a time of 21:26.75 to finish ninth and round out the scoring. The Lady Hawks won their race with a total of 29 points.
Morgan State’s Karen Escobedo won the ladies’ race and the Lady Bears came in second place as a team, followed by Norfolk State, Delaware State, Coppin State and the University of the District of Columbia.
Coppin State finished second in the men’s race, followed by Norfolk State, Morgan State and Delaware State.
The Hawks look to keep up the pace next week at the University of Delaware Invitational in Newark on the 12th. Race time is scheduled for 10 in the morning.
For complete story, visit www.umeshawks.com
Savannah State Opens 2015 Cross Country Season
COLUMBIA, S.C. - Savannah State opened their 2015 cross country season by participating in the South Carolina Challenge.
On the women's side, SSU's runners finished with an average time of 24:22.15.
Sophomore Miara Elmore led SSU with a time of 23:12.83 and finished 25th overall. Freshman Sholonda Snell finished 26th with a run of 23:16.28 followed by sophomore Kourtney Sizemore and freshmen Kiana Robinson and Jahmee Reeves.
Sizemore finished 28th with a time of 24:06.13 while Robinson was 31st with a run of 25:37.29 while Reeves placed 33rd with a time of 25:38.22.
Other SSU runners were newcomers Tyneshia Quarterman and Lawren Crawford who crossed the finish line 41sy and 42nd respectively. Quarterman had a run of 28:44.72 while Crawford was timed at 30:21.74.
South Carolina (28 won the women's meet followed by Coastal Carolina (32), Georgia Southern (81), The Citadel (116), SSU (143), Benedict (171) and Claflin (172).
The Savannah State men were paced by sophomores Michael Smith, Kenneth Nealy and Randolph Barratt.
Smith had a time of 19:06.60to finish 15th while Nealy's time of 19:17.43 was good enough for 17th and Barratt had a run of 20:37.42 to finish 23rd.
Freshman Todd Woodring finished 24th with a run of 20:44.23 while sophomore Brandon Davis was 25th with a time of 20:54.1.
Other SSU runners were freshmen Morgan Ellis-Foster (21:04.47) and Javon Leary (22:26.19). Ellis-Foster was 26th while Leary finished 28th overall.
The Citadel (27) won the men's side followed by Coastal Carolina (33), Benedict (85), SSU (104) and Claflin (121).
For complete story, visit www.ssuathletics.com
London and Ball pace Coppin State at Lid Lifter Invitational
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - Mark London and Ronaldo Ball were top five finishers to help the Coppin State men's cross-country team begin its 2015 season with a blast at the Maryland Eastern Shore Lid Lifter Saturday morning.
London was second overall and Ball was fourth to help Coppin State finish second overall as a team with 46 points. The Eagles finished behind UMES and ahead of Norfolk State, Morgan State and Delaware State.
A returning All-MEAC performer, London crossed the finish line of the five-kilometer course in 16 minutes, 8.42 seconds. Running in his first collegiate cross-country meet, Ball turned in a time of 16:10.20. Coppin State's Michael James was seventh overall (16:19.09). Also scoring points for Coppin State were Alaric Coker (15th overall, 17:02.69) and Fabian Hayles (19th, 18:04.93).
On the women's side, junior Kadeem Curtis and freshman Lunnise Gibson finishes among the top 20. Curtis finished the course in 22:36.34 and Gibson completed the race in 22:46.58.
Both teams return to action next weekend at the Delaware State Invitational on Saturday, September 12.
For complete story, visit www.coppinstatesports.com
Florida A&M Women open season at UNF Invitational
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The FAMU Women’s Cross Country team placed two runners in the Top 10 in the University of North Florida Invitational.
Sophomore Judith Kibii (18:50.38) and senior Cynthia Chelelgo (18:57.31) finished sixth (6th) and tenth (10th) Saturday, with junior QuanDra Shanks (19:27.45) ran 19th.
Other Rattler women in the mix included Fridah Limo (19.40.63); Emmaculate Kiplagat (19:44.85); Nicole Kvitkauskas (19:46.97); Effiey Kosgei (20:10.66); Carolina Kiplagat (20:21.72); April Polite (20:43.10) and Destiny Johnson (23:16.64).
FAMU returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 19 at Gainesville, Florida is the Mountain Dew Invitational at the University of Florida.
For complete story, visit www.famuathletics.com
Hornets fall short at Lid-Lifter Invitational
DOVER, Del. – The Hornets started 2015 on the wrong foot with a poor performance at the UMES Lid-Lifter Invitational on Saturday.
The men finished fifth (138 points) out of five teams, and the women finished fourth (106 points) out of six teams.
The best finish of any Hornet runner came on the women’s side with Nicole Gazzola finishing 15th with a time of 22:20.78.
Erin Cooper of Delaware State was right behind her at 16th with a time of 22:25.56.
Gazzola and Cooper were the only two women Hornets to finish inside the top-20.
The overall best time in the women’s race came from Morgan State’s Karen Escobedo who finished in 18:59.49.
Although Escobedo had the best time, it was Maryland Eastern Shore who finish ahead of everyone, followed by Morgan State, Norfolk State, Delaware State, Coppin State and District of Columbia.
For the men, Emanuel Hitch had the best time for the Hornets with 19:07.44, and that was good enough to finish 22nd.
The next closest Hornet was Charles Wulff Cochrane who finished 27th with a time of 21:47.97.
The Hornets will look to get back on track next Saturday as they host the Hornet Invitational at 9 a.m in Smyrna, Del.
For complete story, visit www.dsuhornets.com