University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
Brooks Pre-Nationals (8K)
VOLS TAKE 12TH AT PRE-NATIONALS INVITATIONAL AGAINST STRONG FIELD
October 15, 2005 | Cross Country
Oct. 15, 2005
Blue Race Results | Open Race Results
Tennessee finished 12th, near the top third of teams, with 380 points against a field brimming with ranked teams Saturday in the blue race at the 8K Pre-Nationals Invitational in Terre Haute, Ind. Co-captain Zach Sabatino authored a ninth-place, 23:56.3 effort to lead the Vols in the massive 217-runner field on the LaVern Gibson Championship Course at the Wabash Family Sports Center.
Tennessee held its own against 11 ranked teams. The unranked Vols finished just behind 10th-ranked Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo (11th, 361 pts.) and bettered 23rd-ranked N.C. State (17th, 438 pts.). Fifth-ranked Stanford won the race with 89 points. Fourth-ranked BYU took silver with 174 points. No. 12 Georgetown rounded out the top three with 222 points. Individually, BYU's Josh Rohatinsky broke the course 8K record with a 23:30.7 clocking to claim gold and better Colorado's Jorge Torres' 2002 time of 23:34.8.
"Overall, we ran an OK race," head coach George Watts said. "This race shows us where we are nationally. Now we know what we need to do to move up and have a chance to quality for nationals.
Sabatino ran another fine race to lead the Volunteer effort, finishing ninth and freezing the clock at 23:56.3. Farragut native Andy Baksa finished 72nd with a 24:49.3 time. Ben Lukowski took 85th after running a 24:55.1 effort. Tyler DeVault finished 105th in 25:06.2. Matt Piccarello bookended the Tennessee scoring five with a 109th-place, 25:07.8 race. The Vols' top-five scoring spread measured 1:11.5, wider than sub-minute grouping Watts expects.
"An area we need to improve is our five-man spread, which is still over a minute," Watts said. "That means we've got to close the gap on Zach Sabatino.
In order for us to have a chance to qualify for nationals we need to get our five-man spread under one minute. The race Zach ran is a perfect example of how to run your race and not let the conditions or other individuals affect your strategy.
Knoxville's Dusty Miller took 131st, sixth among Vols, with a 25:18.5 time. Jeff Day took 157th after racing 25:39.5, still beating many in the 217-runner field to the finish line.
In the open race in the afternoon, five more Vols competed and no team score was kept. Chris Platt took 21st in 25:25.3. Ed Davis followed in 52nd with a 25:59.3 time. Steve Tobin took 60th with a 26:08.8 clocking. Kenny Schappert finished 92nd in 26:47.7. In his first cross country race since the 2003 season, co-captain Matthew Lapp finished 114th in 27:17.7 in the 147-runner field.
"We are still a pretty good team and close to being a rankable team," Watts said. "We're ready to take on the next stage of training and sharpen up for the championship part of the season.
Watts reported that racetime temperature was about 65 degrees with a light breeze. The 8K LaVern Gibson Championship Course ran hard and fast Saturday.
Tennessee returns to action Oct. 29 at the SEC championships in Columbia, S.C.
| VOL FINISHERS (BLUE RACE, 12th) | ||
| 1. | Josh Rohatinsky, BYU | 23:30.7 |
| 9. | Zach Sabatino, Tenn. | 23:56.3 |
| 72. | Andy Baksa, Tenn. | 24:49.3 |
| 85. | Ben Lukowski, Tenn. | 24:55.1 |
| 105. | Tyler DeVault, Tenn. | 25:06.2 |
| 109. | Matt Piccarello, Tenn. | 25:07.8 |
| 131. | Dusty Miller, Tenn. | 25:18.5 |
| 157. | Jeff Day, Tenn. | 25:39.5 |
| VOL FINISHERS (OPEN RACE, no team score) | ||
| 1. | Jacob Karir, Eastern Ky. | 24:08.7 |
| 21. | Chris Platt, Tenn. | 25:25.3 |
| 52. | Ed Davis, Tenn. | 25:59.3 |
| 60. | Steve Tobin, Tenn. | 26:08.8 |
| 92. | Kenny Schappert, Tenn. | 26:47.7 |
| 114. | Matthew Lapp, Tenn. | 27:17.7 |
