WSCC ATHLETICS: Cross Country competes in 1st indoor races

HANCEVILLE,

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Ala. — Wallace State Community College recently participated in the Birmingham Indoor Icebreaker event in Birmingham, competing in four meets in a field that included four-year DI and DII schools.

In the 4,000-meter Men Distance Medley, a squad comprised of freshman Carson Masterson of Hatton, sophomore David Robles of Springville, freshman Daniel Leija of Albertville and freshman Tyler Anthony of Fort Payne finished in fourth place with a time of 10:48.71. They finished behind two squads from Mississippi College in first and second place and Alabama A&M in third place.

Individually, Leija finished in eighth place in the men’s 1-mile race, with a time of 4:31.83. He was followed by Anthony at 13th with a time of 4:37.82 and Masterson at 18th with a time of 4:41.66.

Also in the men’s races, Robles finished 35th in the men’s 3,000-meter race with a time of 9:35.51.

The women competed in the 3,000-meter race, with freshman Reagan Parris of Bremen as the top team finisher at 27th with a time of 11:19.48. Sophomore Abigale Vega of Fort Payne finished 32nd with a time of 11:38.58, followed by freshman Bernarda Tizapa-Robles of Cullman at 36th with a time of 12:00.37.

“I was really proud of them,” said Head Coach Tony Crider of the team’s new venture into indoor and outdoor track meets. “They competed really well.”

Crider said the addition of indoor and outdoor track meets of 800 meters and more will provide their runners with additional training during what would have normally been an off-season for the teams.

“The goal is to keep them in good condition and if they happen to rank high enough to go to nationals, maybe we can do that,” Crider said.

The team has five more indoor/outdoor events scheduled for the spring season, including two indoor meets in Birmingham in January and February and outdoor events in March and April at the University of West Alabama, Montevallo and the Crimson Classic in Tuscaloosa.

Wallace State Cross Country finished their fall season with Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) Championships for the men’s and women’s teams. The men finished third nationally at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) tournament, with runner Luke Kennedy earning All-American status. The women finished in fourth place nationally. Crider was named the NJCAA Central Region Men’s and Women’s Coach of the Year and the ACCC Men’s Coach of the Year.