Complete results
PHOTO GALLERY
YAKIMA -- He ran faster and placed higher than he did last year. Even so, Chad Meis wanted more.
The Seattle Pacific senior crossed the finish line 11th on Saturday morning in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference championships at Apple Ridge Run. Meis (Renton, Wash./Seattle Christian HS) went through the 8-kilometer course in 25 minutes, 47 seconds and was the first Falcon across the line.
Last year, Meis (Renton, Wash./Seattle Christian HS) ran 26:06 to place 15th. But even with his significant improvement on Saturday, a top-10 spot proved elusive.
“I was sitting on 10th the whole way,” he said. “I should have had a good race. That's the most I've tapered for the meet.”
While Meis will get a chance to run at the NCAA West Regional meet on Nov. 7 in San Francisco, the Falcons fell short of making it as a team. Needing a top-four finish, SPU checked in fifth with 138 points. Western Washington dethroned Alaska Anchorage for the title, 33-70. Western Oregon was third (74) and Northwest Nazarene fourth (99).
Sophomore Nate Sleight (Bellevue, Wash./Bellevue Christian HS) was second across the line for the Falcons, taking 30th overall in 27:21. Then came three freshmen to round out the scoring: Caleb Parker (Richland, Wash./Richland HS) was 32nd in 27:27; AJ Baker (AuGres, Mich.) was 40th in 27:39; and Andrew Van Ness (Bellevue, Wash./Bellevue Christian HS) took 45th in 27:54.
“Some of our guys showed up, and some didn't have their best race,” SPU coach Erika Daligcon said. Then, noting that three freshman factored into the scoring, she added, “That bodes well for next year.”
While Meis won't be back next year to lead that group, he liked what he saw from them on Saturday.
“All the freshman guys ran real well,” he said.
Meis, who placed ninth at the San Francisco State Invitational pre-regional meet on Oct. 9, already is looking forward to another run.
“I'm still very excited to get out and race,” he said. “I didn't feel very good (about) today, but regionals is a 10K, so I think all of my higher mileage will pay off. Even though I was 11th, I think I only lost to three guys who weren't Western Washington or Alaska Anchorage.”
Added Daligcon, “I'm confident that he'll have a great race at regionals.”
Alaska Anchorage's Marko Cheseto won his second straight individual championship. The Seawolf junior hung in second early on, then pulled away to win by 18 seconds with a time of 24:50.
NCAA Men's Cross Country
GNAC Championships
Saturday, October 24, 2009
8K at Apple Ridge Run/Yakima, Wash.
Team scores -- 1, Western Washington 33; 2, Alaska Anchorage 70; 3, Western Oregon 74; 4, Northwest Nazarene 99; 5, Seattle Pacific 138; 6, Central Washington 167; 7, Saint Martin's 190; 8, ALaska Fairbanks 219; 9, Montana State Bilings 257.
Top 10 -- 1, Marko Cheseto (UAA) 24:50; 2, Bennett Grimes (WWU) 25:05; 3, Jordan Welling (WWU) 25:08; 4, Alfred Kangogo UAA) 25:12; 5, Micah Chelimo (UAA) 25:13; 6, ANgthony Tomisch (WWU) 25:14; 7, Chris Reed (WOU) 25:26; 8, Kyle Van Santen (StM) 25:28; 9, Blake Medhaug (WWU) 25:32; 10, Barak Watson (NNU) 25:35.
SPU placers -- 11, Chad Meis 25:47; 30, Nate Sleight 27:21; 32, Caleb Parker 27:27; 40, AJ Baker 27:39; 45, Andrew Van Ness 27:54; 52, Gavin Brand 28:06; 53, Wil Harrison 28:08; 70, Andrew Hamilton 29:17; 73, Jordan Lance 30:17; 74, Nate Seely 30:24.
