By Zoey Kuhn
The Grand Rapids Community College Cross Country teams both ran against four other teams from the West Michigan area in the Michigan Community College Athletics Association’s Western Conference Championship (MCCAA).
The MCCAA meet was held on Friday, Oct. 2 at 11 a.m. Due to the rain the day before, the course was muddy and slippery, making running difficult
Despite the hurdle, the women’s team won first place, with Mackenzie Conner, 18, achieving first place individually with a time of 19:45 running 4k .
“It feels pretty good. I’ve never gotten first in a race before,” said Conner. Conner has been running cross country for three years, with this being the first year doing so at the college level.
The big win trumps the team’s third place at the same meet last year.
“At this Western Conference, because last year we were supposed to win, then things went wrong at the meet as far as people got off course and things went awry,” said Sharon Becker, GRCC’s Women’s Head Cross Country Coach, “It feels good to get first.”
The other teams participating in order were Lancing Community College with second, Kellogg Community College with third, Southwestern Michigan College with fourth and Lake Michigan College with fifth.
The men’s team finished in fourth place, with their top runner being Brady Morrow, 20, getting 12th place with a time of 28:42.7 in the 8k race.
“It was just one of those gritty races that the person that is the toughest and lays it out the most will win it,” said Morrow, who has been in the sport for 10 years.
The other teams participating in order were Lansing Community College in first, Southwestern Michigan College in second, Kellogg Community College in third and Lake Michigan College in fifth.
The next event will be at 12:15 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Muskegon Community College Golf Course.
