Notre Dame cross country at Central Collegiate Championships

Cross Country Men's "B" Team Dominates Central Collegiates;
Women's "B" Finishes Fourth

Both Irish teams race without many of their first-string harriers, but the
men's team displays its talented depth with seven top-10 finishes.

    KALAMAZOO, Mich.  - (9-29-01) The University of Notre Dame men's and
women's cross country "B" teams competed in the Central Collegiate
Championships in Kalamazoo, Mich., on Saturday, and posted an impressive
finish without entering most of both team's top runners. The Irish men's
team, without the benefit of three All-Americans who are usually in the
lineup, displayed its talented depth by easily winning the meet with seven
top-10 finishes in the 8,000 meter race.
    The meet was billed as a chance for the fourth-ranked men's team to
establish its seventh and eighth runners as they enter championship season,
but with Saturday's performance, that choice will not be any easier for head
coach Joe Piane. Junior John Keane (Winona, Minn.) led the Irish to the team
victory with a second-place finish, just two seconds behind individual
champion Tim Morehouse from Western Michigan.
    Senior Sean Zanderson (Poway, Calif.) and sophomore Kevin Somok
(Southburg, Conn.) were right on the heels of their teammate, finishing in
third and fourth place, respectively.
    Not far behind Zanderson and Somok was the rest of the Irish pack, led
by freshman Ryan Johnson (Auburn, Ind.) in sixth, junior Nathan Shay
(Central Lake, Mich.) in seventh and sophomore Kevin Avenius (Novi, Mich.)
in ninth place. 
    Freshman Eric Morrison (Toronto, Ontario) and senior Tom Lennon
(Hohokus, NJ) completed the Irish field by taking 10th and 13th place. Notre
Dame's team point total of 22 easily distanced Western Michigan in second
place with 37. Ohio (88), Wisconsin-Milwaukee (115) and Detroit Mercy (134)
completed the field.
    In the women's race, the Irish once again ran without most their top
runners and took fourth place. Senior captain Hilary Burn (Ottawa, Ontario),
one of the "A" team's top eight runners, finished first on the team in 11th
place. Sophomore Megan Peterson (Fairfield, Conn.) placed 18th and classmate
Rachel Endress (Wheaton, Ill.) crossed the finish line in 21st to round out
the top three Irish runners. The women's team point total of 95 finished
behind Ohio (43), Western Michigan (51), Eastern Michigan (84) and ahead of
Detroit Mercy (98).
    Both teams will be back to full strength next weekend at home, as the
Irish host the 2001 Notre Dame Invitational at the Notre Dame Golf Course
(west side of campus next to SR 933). First race is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

#### 

Alan Wasielewski, Publicity Assistant
University of  Notre Dame Sports Information
112 Joyce Center, Second Floor
Notre Dame, IN 46556
(219) 631-3397/(219) 631-7941 (fax)
cell phone: 219-315-5746
E-mail: [email protected]

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