Cross Country: Panthers post top finishes

O'Grady caps career with sixth-place finish

Kevin Murphy/ Staff Reporter - Daily Eastern News

The Eastern Kentucky men's and women's cross country teams easily ran their way to the Ohio Valley Conference titles.

The Eastern Illinois cross-country teams weren't far behind Saturday at Percy Warner Park in Nashville, Tenn. The Eastern Illinois men's team posted its highest finish since 2005 with a second-place finish. The Eastern Illinois women's team (65 points) was edged for second place by Murray State (63 points), and the Panthers posted their best finish since 2006.

Eastern Illinois senior Erin O'Grady led the Panthers with a sixth-place finish. This was O'Grady's best finish since 2006, the year she was the OVC Freshman of the Year.

"I did exactly what I wanted," said O'Grady, who earned First Team All-OVC honors. "I wanted to go out there and run a smart race."

O'Grady said she had to run a part of the race without anyone, but kept the lead pack in sight.

The muddy course provided tough conditions for all the runners, and O'Grady said part of the course was underwater. The men's race was an 8,000-meter race, while the women's was a 5,000-meter race.

O'Grady said the biggest reason of her sixth-place finish (20 minutes, 16.3 seconds) was her strong kick.

"You have to turn your brain off and start racing with your heart," O'Grady said of her last OVC Championship race.

O'Grady was supported by red-shirt freshman Olivia Klaus' eighth-place finish (20:26.8). Klaus earned Second Team All-OVC honors. Freshman Danielle Dickman finished in 15th in 20:38.8. Sophomore Brittany Arthur finished in 17th in 20:50.13. Freshman finished in 19th in 21:03.6.

Eastern Illinois head coach Geoff Masanet said the Eastern Illinois men's cross country team (89 points) got out slow and really couldn't challenge Eastern Kentucky (22 points).

"As a whole, we had a solid race, but not great," said sophomore Matt Feldhake. "We had a different No. 1 runner each day. We just have a big group of guys that are all good." 

Feldhake's 14th-place finish in 27:06.1, which earned him conference honors and led the Panthers. Senior David Holm finished in 15th in 27:11.6. Red-shirt sophomore Brad LaRocque finished in 20th in 27:34.4, and senior Aaron Iaun finished in 21st in 27:34.4. Sophomore Connor Kustief's 24th-place finish in 27:44.8 rounded out the Panthers' scoring.

Feldhake said EKU's top four got out in a strong pack, and the rest of the Colonels closed strong so the Panthers had no window to catch the Colonels.

"It was just demoralizing when you're surrounded by guys from the other team," Feldhake said. "Their back end of their team did a good job of (closing)."

Masanet said the team didn't have its best race, but still finished second.

"We didn't get out well at all," Masanet said. "We gave up too much ground in the first 400 meters of the race." 

Masanet said the team still accomplished what it wanted to do. He said both teams will try to maintain the momentum and use it for the NCAA Regionals.

EKU senior Wesley Ruttoh won the men's race in 25:39.2. EKU red-shirt freshman Picoty Leitich won the women's race in 19:29.1 and led the Colonels to the title with 32 points.

The Panthers take a break before competing at the NCAA Regionals on Nov. 14 at Missouri State in Springfield, Mo.

Kevin Murphy can be reached 581-7944 
or kjmurphy@eiu.edu.