Men’s Cross Country News
Five Peat: Men’s Cross Country Brings Home Fifth Straight LEC Championship
Three runners awarded All-Conference honors
CASTLETON, VT – For the fifth consecutive year, the no. 8 regionally-ranked University of Southern Maine men’s cross country team are the Little East Conference champions after besting Eastern Connecticut State University by one point in Vermont Saturday morning. Three athletes finished in the top-14 individually and were named to the All-Conference team.
USM won their eighth overall championship and fifth in a row. The University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth (9) and Keene State College (15) join the Huskies as the only
programs to win the conference championship. Plymouth State University (85 points) rounded out the top-three in third place.
“Today was easily our best race of the season and one of the best wins of our LEC cross country streak,” said head coach Ryan Harkleroad. “This team faced as much adversity as any we've had; with sickness, injuries, and attrition, they responded today in a manner we all hope to when faced with a challenge. This is a fun and rewarding group to coach and I am incredibly proud of how they competed today.”
Team co-captain and senior Masho Gebremikael (Portland, ME) joined former teammate Nick Harriman as a four-time conference champion. Harriman took home four straight league titles from 2016-2019 and Gebremikael joined the squad in 2017. Gebremikael collected his second All-Conference First Team award finishing third with a 26:25 time and a 5:21 pace. Newcomer Jordan Duplessie (Caribou, ME) was the top freshman runner and an All-LEC First Team choice as he came in fourth at 26:54 with a 5:25 mile split. Joining his teammates with All-League honors was co-captain Cody Mathewson (Lebanon, CT), a LEC Second Team athlete at 12th place (27:43/5:35).
Also competing for the navy and gold, sophomore Jack Pecoraro (Westbrook, ME) (17th, 27:50/5:36), freshman Matthew Pooler (North Waterboro, ME) (19th, 28:25/5:43), and junior Erik Larkin (Scarborough, ME) (20th, 28:30/5:43) all came within the top-20. Sophomore Scott Lightbody (Kennebunk, ME) (34th, 29:44/5:59), freshman Anthony O’Donnell (Portland, ME) (46th, 31:17/6:18) and sophomore Tyler Wojcik (Thetford Center, VT) (52nd, 32:09/6:29) crossed the finish line as well for the Huskies.
Next up for USM will be the NCAA Regional Championship on Saturday, November 13th.
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