Photo by: Henoc Kivuye
Short two of their top five runners due to injuries, the Eagles finished in seventh place at the Missouri Southern Stampede.
The race, hosted by Missouri Southern University, was the first eight-kilometer race of the season for Oklahoma Christian University. Head Coach for Men’s Cross Country Wade Miller saw the team’s depth come into play as the Eagles fought to fill the gaps.
“Not having two of our top guys in the results is challenging but I really appreciate the heart that everyone showed in handling the situation,” Miller said. “We had some guys step up and shoulder the load.”
Junior Roberto Diaz led the Eagles, finishing in sixth place individually with a time of 25:06.85.
“The meet at Missouri Southern was a good indicator of where my fitness really is,” Diaz said. “I did not know what to expect from my fitness regarding the distance this weekend. It was our first 8k of the season, so my goal was to just be competitive. I wasn’t too worried about my time, but I figured if you race hard the time will come with it.”
Diaz admitted, however, that his performance fell short of his expectations.
“It was a five-mile race, and sadly I only ran hard for the first four and fell apart,” Diaz said. “We went out at a hard pace of 4:40 which at the time felt easy, but it sure got harder to hang on.”
Sophomore Bryant Keirns finished 11th overall, with a time of 25:17.37. These two top-15 finishes helped the Eagles clinch their seventh-place berth with a team score of 165.
Getting traction early in the season could prove vital deeper into the season, and Miller sees future experience and proper maintenance smoothing the journey ahead.
“It’s early in the season so it will help having a few more races under our belt,” Miller said. “Staying healthy and doing the little things to aid in recovery will be key for us.”
Two Heartland teams finished behind the Eagles in the event, with Newman University finishing 11th and University of Arkansas-Fort Smith taking 14th.
In the Eagles’ next match, Diaz notes that his strategy will be much more conservative.
“I will definitely know how to manage my fitness a lot better at OSU,” Diaz said. “I won’t go out with the leaders knowing how crazy things can get out in the front. I plan to race hard to the point of exhaustion, having confidence in my kick through the last 400 meters.”
Diaz also said the Eagles have some goals for the rest of this season.
“Win conference, win Nationals,” Diaz said. “I have confidence in our young team to know how to take care of business.”
On the women’s side, freshman Layne Hammer led the way for the Lady Eagles in Saturday’s cross country meet in Joplin, Mo. Hammer finished 41st with a time of 19:08.10.
Sophomore Tara Lewis followed up for the Lady Eagles, crossing the line in 51st place. The two women led Oklahoma Christian to an overall 12th place finish in the race.
The Lady Eagles have a younger team than last year – six of their nine runners are freshmen and two are sophomores. The remaining veterans welcomed the newcomers early on, according to Miller, showing them the ropes of collegiate athletics.
“Each year is different from the last and this year we have a larger group and are building a very positive training environment,” Miller said. “The upperclassmen have done a good job of being supportive and encouraging the younger girls.”
Freshman Sarah Cobb ran in her first collegiate race on Saturday, finishing 119th.
Three Lady Eagle runners finished with career best times for the event, with Hammer and fellow freshmen Maci Rich and Katie Jones finishing 83rd and 109th respectively. Sophomore Maria Sargent pointed out that while the success is important, staying injury-free is the team’s most pressing concern.
“I think the most important thing for us right now is learning how to give 100 percent but also listening to our bodies and knowing when we’re pushing it too far,” Sargent said. “We have a lot of injuries this year so we need everyone else to stay healthy.”
In the women’s race, Heartland Conference foes Newman and Arkansas Fort-Smith finished in eighth and ninth place, respectively.
Both the men’s and women’s squads race tomorrow at the Oklahoma State Cowboy Jamboree in Stillwater, Okla.
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