Cross Country Fights Elements In Season Opener

Men's Results (PDF)  |  Women's Results  (PDF)  |

CHARLESTON, Ill. – Following a lighting delay which moved back the start of the 2012 Walt Crawford Open more than 30 minutes, men's and women's teams from twelve different schools ran at the same time racing to finish the women's 5K and men's 8K before the next severe storm hit the area.

Kelby Jenkins of Evansville was able to win the women's race with a 5K time of 17:56.00 while Nick Schrader of Southern Illinois won the men's race with an 8K time of 25:26.36.  Racing was finished under rainy and wet conditions.

The NCAA Division I teams in the meet were scored as a double dual with Southern Illinois defeating all teams.  The other Division I schools in the meet were host EIU, Evansville, IUPUI and SIU Edwardsville.  Non Division I schools competing included the Illinois Track & Field Club, Lincoln College, Missouri Valley College, Webster University, Danville Area CC, Millkin and Benedictine.

Senior Olivia Klaus led a solid finish by the Eastern Illinois women as she placed fourth with a time of 18:16.61.  Fellow seniors Britney Whitehead and Stephanie Peisker also placed in the top ten.  Whitehead was fifth with a time of 18:22.61.  Peisker was 8th at 18:29.30.  Erika Ramos and Elizabeth Dole rounded out the Panthers top five runners.  Ramos placed 14th at 18:56 while Dole crossed in 16th at 18:58.  Freshman Victoria Quarton was 19th at 19:05.39.

On the men's side junior college transfer Pablo Ramirez led the way for EIU with a seventh place finish at 25:49.36.  Danny Delaney and Bryce Basting just finished outside the top ten.  Delaney was 11th at 26:03.64 and Basting was 12th at 26:06.85.  Matt Black and Doug Mateas rounded out the EIU top five runners.  Black was 17th at 26:21.73 and Mateas was 28th at 26:58.37

The Panthers return to action next Friday at the Illinois Intercollegiate in Bloomington.