The Grand Rapids Community College Cross Country teams showed signs of improvement at the St.Clair Invite at Marysville. The men’s team tied for fifth place while the women’s team performed well, with freshman Lillie Burns finishing her first collegiate race.
In the women’s meet, freshman Anna Tubbergen continued her dominant season for GRCC as she finished sixth place out of 97 total runners with a time of 20:34. Freshman Elicia Land placed in the top 15 for the first time this season with a time of 21:46.
Freshmen Emily Adamy and Burns stuck around each other for the majority of the race as Adamy finished with a time of 27:27, while Burns finished with a time of 29:14.
GRCC women’s cross country head coach Sharon Becker was pleased with the team’s results especially given that the team ran through the mud.
“We tell our athletes over and over that you really race by effort and hard work and not focusing on your pace and final time,” Becker said. “All four of the runners ran very hard and it was a great day for all of them. Each of their races is an indication that our work is paying off and each of them is becoming a better racer.”
As for the men’s team, they had their best finish of the year placing fifth among 14 teams. Three runners were able to place in the top 125 among all runners.
Freshman Joseph VanderKooi finished the 8K with a time of 28:31, allowing him to finish in 11th place as well as sixth place among community college runners.
Sophomore Dan Kehoe and freshman Austin Winkle ran the entirety of the race side-by-side as Kehoe finished with a time of 29:40 while Winkle finished six seconds later.
Rounding out the GRCC runners, freshman Anthony Lawlor finished with a time of 31:01 while freshman runner Isaac Deleon finished with a time of 36:01.
GRCC men’s cross country coach Robert Hyde was content with how the team has progressed.
“I feel like we are in a good progression right now and the times are really showing that,” Hyde said. “Our training is still on point and we have a good, positive mindset halfway through the season.”
Each team will have two weeks to prepare for their next meet on Oct. 14 in Donaldson, Indiana. The Marion University-Ancilla Invite will be the last meet before each team takes on the Michigan Community College Athletic Association (MCCAA) Regional meet.
Hyde said the team is using these conference meets to prepare for the Regional meet.
“Physically right now, we are still loading on the training, and mentally our goal from the beginning of the season is Regionals,” Hyde said. “So that is all they are thinking about as they compete in each race. People are positive and feeling good about where we are.”
