Sophomore runner Tanner Long leads the Leopards before the eight kilometer run at the first Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Multi-Dual meet Friday at La Mirada Park. The men’s cross country team finished seventh of nine teams at the meet, behind the winning Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens. The women’s team finished eighth./ photo by Michael Saakyan
Annabel Secaida
Staff Writer
The men’s and women’s cross country teams raced to the finish line for their first Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Multi-Dual meet Friday at La Mirada Park.
The men’s team came in seventh place overall and stand in eighth place in SCIAC.
The nine schools competing in the meet included Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, Pomona-Pitzer, Redlands, Occidental, Whittier, Chapman, Caltech, Cal Lutheran and La Verne.
The first event was the men’s eight kilometer run. Sophomore Tanner Long was first for the Leopards and came in 25th overall.
Long came in with a time of 27:01.55.
“It didn’t matter that I came first just wanted to get my team where we needed to be,” Long said.
“I had a slow starting season so I wanted to turn things around for the sake of my team and it’s nearing the end of season.” he said.
Senior Jayden Earlywine followed after Long and came in 33rd overall.
Earlywine finished with a time of 27:21.44.
“My mindset has been just to leave it all on the course and finish with no regrets and do my best not to make mistakes,” Earlywine said.
“It’s my last shot at college athletics so important to have the right mindset.” he said.
Junior runner Zorg Loustalet from Claremont-Mudd-Scripps came in first for the second year in a row with a time of 25:29.26.
The Stags came in second with 38 points, while the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens took the win in the event with 21 points.
The women’s team came in eighth place, running six kilometers for the second event.
The women are also eighth in SCIAC.
Senior runner Andrea Ramirez came in eighth overall and first for La Verne with a time of 22:25.70.
Ramirez was followed by sophomore Kamalei Lee, who came in 42nd overall with a time of 24:02.40.
“It felt pretty good and exciting because my place overall at the meet was unexpected,” Ramirez said.
“On paper it was what I was supposed to do, but it was a rewarding feeling because I’ve been training really hard.” she said.
Freshman Sarah Chang came in 60th with a time of 24:43.49 and sophomore Jacquie Scherrer came in 72nd at 25:31.59.
Senior Sara Mostatabi from Claremont-Mudd-Scripps finished in first with a time of 21:44.02.
Sophomore Maya Weigel of Pomona-Pitzer followed Mostatabi with a time of 21:49.12.
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps won the overall event for the women, followed by Pomona-Pitzer in second.
The Leopards’ hard work and determination will show on the course as they head toward the end of conference with three more meets, hoping to finish the season strong.
“For the remainder the season, we’re just focusing on being a team,” Earlywine said.
“We have all the puzzle pieces and we just need to put them together.” he said.
The Leopards will head off to the SCIAC championships at 9 a.m. Nov. 1 at Prado Park in Chino Hills.
Annabel Secaida can be reached at annabel.secaida@laverne.edu.