Men’s cross country outkicks Bowdoin, Tufts, Colby
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| From left to right, Tully Hannan, Andrew Wortham, Devin Dilts and Noah Graboys were Bates’ first four finishers in the Bobcats’ big win on Saturday. (Photo by Tom Leonard ’78) |
NEW GLOUCESTER, Maine — The Bates College men’s cross country team edged Bowdoin College for a satisfying first place in a four-team super cross country meet hosted by Bates Saturday at Pineland Farms. With each team’s top 10 runners counting toward the team scores, Bates scored a meet-low 164, followed by Bowdoin with 170, Tufts with 192 and Colby with 326.
Although Bowdoin and Tufts currently stand higher in the New England Division III rankings — Tufts is currently sixth and Bowdoin is seventh, while Bates is ranked ninth — the host Bobcats pulled off a surprise victory.
“That was a great win for us today,” said head coach Al Fereshetian.
Bates swept the top three spots among 78 competitors overall, led by first-year Noah Graboys (Glencoe, Ill.), who covered the 5-mile course in 26:09, and followed by senior Devin Dilts (Roscoe, Ill.) in second at 26:20 and sophomore Andrew Wortham (Newton, Mass.) in third at 26:21. Graboys’ time was the fastest ever run by a Bates runner on the Pineland course, while Dilts’ was a personal best on the Bobcats’ home course and the third fastest time ever for Bates. Wortham’s time tied for fourth fastest.
Bowdoin freshman Coby Horowitz (26:34) and Colby senior Ben Cunkelman (26:38) rounded out the top five finishers.
First-year Tully Hannan (West Hartford, Conn.) took 15th place in his first race returning from injury. He was followed by senior Peter Gurney (Arlington, Va.) in 16th, a 19-second PR at 27:11. Sophomores Eric Kimball (Manchester, Mass.) and Graham Pearsall (Guilford, Maine) also posted big personal course records, at 27:25 and Mike Martin 27:28, respectively.
Bates tied with Bowdoin through eight runners, but gained a six-point advantage with the depth of its ninth and 10th runners, first-year (Slatersville, R.I.) and sophomore James LePage (Cumberland, Maine).
Bates runs at the Codfish Bowl next Saturday at Franklin Park, starting at 11:30 a.m.
Team Results
Individual Results