Exceeding Expectations

Gopher men's coach Steve Plasencia's decision to take the Gopher men's team out to UC Riverside this cross country season looked prescient as it allowed the Gopher men to race in comparable heat not long ago.  And the runners were willing to follow their coach's instructions to go out conservatively, then run a strong back half of the race. Results were a surprise third place finish n the Gold DI race at the Griak.  The top three teams in that race were separated by a mere three points, so with a little luck they might have even fared better.

Gopher men's top finisher, Aaron Bartnik,
who finished 8th in 25:07.
Photo by Gene Niemi

"We expected to finish sixth said the team's volunteer assistant coach Declan McDonnell.  Knowing the heat would be an issue, Plasencia told his team to hold back in the first part of the race.  Then, as he rode around to points along the course in a golf cart to watch the race unfold, Plasencia urged the team members to bring it home hard. They did.

The Gopher "chase pack:" Alex Brend(503), Christian Skaret(511), Blayne
Dulian(50), Charlie Lawrence(508), Obsa Ali(head, shoulder, and foot behind
Lawrence).  Photo by Gene Niemi

Starting out from placings in the 100s, the Gophers cut through the field with a pack of five stalking Minnesota's top two runners: juniors Aaron Bartnick and Adam Zutz.  Three from that trail pack: Junior Alex Brend and Freshmen Obsa Ali and Charlie Lawrence rounded out the Gopher top five at the finish.

The ever changing lead pack around mid race.  Michigan State's Caleb
Rnynard(711) takes the lead.  Race individual champ,  Nate Jewkes(801)
waits for later to make his move.  Photo by Gene Niemi

At the front of the race the lead changed several times over the last few miles with the final drama playing out on the homestretch as team champion Southern Utah's Nate Jewkes roared down the homestretch to take the individual title in 24:46. After the race Ali and Southern Utah's Ibrahim Amed got to know each other.  Each had been the fourth man on their respective teams.  Both had African ancestry and, eerily, Amed, like Gopher grad Hassan Mead, suffered from a collapsed lung.  Amed lost his 2012 track and XC and his 2013 XC season recovering from the issue.

Obsa Ali heading toward the finish. Photo by Gene Niemi

Gold DI men's results are HERE.