Freshmen Lead WPU at Season Opener
Oskaloosa–The William Penn cross country teams popped the lid off the 2019 season as they competed in the Bill Buxton Invitational hosted by Simpson Friday.
The Statesmen women placed fifth out of eight teams with 118 points, while host Simpson took the crown with 35 points. On the men’s side, WPU was eighth out of eight crews with 190 points. The Simpson men completed the title sweep with 26 points.
Buena Vista’s Emily Hoesing won the women’s 4K race with a time of 16:42.4, while Spencer Moon of Simpson took the men’s 6K title in 19:34.2.
Michaela Kmiec (Fr., Centerville, Texas, Exercise Science) topped the women in her first collegiate race, placing 18th in the 63-person field with a time of 17:56.5. Talaysia Douver (So., Lakewood, Calif.) was next in 23rd in 18:19.9, while Zena Cohuo (So., Carrollton, Texas, Exercise Science) (25th, 18:29.7) and Ashlee Johnson (Fr., Marshalltown, Iowa, Sociology) (26th, 18:39.2) were not far behind her.
Madison Udy (So., American Falls, Idaho, Exercise Science) wrapped up the team scoring as she crossed the line in 39th in a time of 19:54.5. Clair Keller (Fr., Magnolia, Ky., Business Management) competed for the navy and gold as well, taking 53rd at 22:18.4.
Vernon Trozzi (Fr., Hesperia, Calif., Exercise Science) also had a spectacular first meet in the WPU. He had the best overall finish of any WPU runner, guiding the men in 11th place (81 total runners) at 20:16.0.
William De Jesus (Fr., Homestead, Fla., Biology) claimed the team’s runner-up spot in 50th (22:36.2), while Axel Vazquez (Fr., Wray, Colo.) was 56th in a time of 22:54.8.
Jack Miller (So., Oskaloosa, Iowa) and his time of 23:44.4 were good enough for 63rd, while Julian Davis (Jr., Palmer, Alaska, Mechanical Engineering) concluded the team scoring in 67th at 24:20.4
David Williams (Sr., Victor, Iowa, Secondary Education) headlined the group of also-rans, finishing the course in 25:29.7 (71st). Gabriel Webster (So., Worland, Wyo.) (73rd, 25:50.4), Percy Burton (Jr., Baltimore, Md., Sports Management) (78th, 28:48.0), Tylor Durbin (So., Fremont, Iowa, Business Management) (79th, 28:52.2), and Kingber Delphin (Fr., Linden, N.J., Information Technology) (80th, 29:49.8) competed Friday as well.
“Our women packed up and worked well together,” Head Sean Gosewisch said. “It was a good rust-buster to get the season started. Our men have some work to do and need to get healthy, but there were certainly great individual performances.”
Next Up: William Penn travels to Sioux Falls, S.D. next Friday to compete in the Augustana Twilight.
