Dec. 5, 2009 – The Hendricken Hawks are the tenth-best boys’ cross country team in the United States on the strength of their team finish today at the Nike Cross Country National Championships in Portland, Ore.
The Hawks, who last month won the Rhode Island team title, then placed first at the Nike Regional meet in New York State last week, accumulated 284 team points in Portland. A squad from Boerne, Tex. won the team championship with 195 points.
In the girls’ race today, La Salle placed 21st among the teams, with 447 points. Manlius High, from New York State, was the team winner, with 74 points; it was that school’s fourth straight Nike National win.
Hawk senior Jake Sienko was the first from his team to finish, crossing the line 37th overall in a time of 15 minutes, 48 seconds. (The boys’ champion was Craig Lutz, of Texas, in 15:09). Following Sienko was teammate Ryan Meehan (82nd) in 16:12.
In the girls’ race, Barrington junior Abigail Jones was the No.1 finisher from Rhode Island. Jones placed 66th overall in 18:58. (Catherine Flood, of Iowa, was the individual winner, timed in 17:47).
La Salle’s first finisher was R.I. champ Molly Keating, who placed 91st overall in 19:16. The Rams’ Emily Papazian followed: 113th in 19:32.
Around the Course - Again: The 5,000-meter race began in an open field just outside Portland Meadows, a horse-racing track. The runners entered the track approximately a half-mile in, and the remainder of the race was an “international style’’ course - with makeshift hills, hay bails and an area of the turf that had been watered down to make a muddy surface . . . Since no Rhode Islanders qualified for next weekend’s Foot Locker Championships in San Diego, Calif., this concludes the 2009 cross country season.
Team score: 21, La Salle 447. R.I. results (w/overall place):
1 (66), Abigail Jones, Barrington 18:58; 2 (91), Molly Keating, La Salle 19:16; 3 (113), Emily Papazian, La Salle 19:32; 4 (122), Evie Jansen, La Salle 19:46; 5 (166), Danielle Renzi, La Salle 20:30; 6 (178), Diana Kibbe, La Salle 20-48.0; 7 (179), Victoria Beardwood, La Salle 20:48.1; 8 (181), Siobahn Kelly, La Salle 20:52. 5,000 meters.
Team score: 10, Hendricken 284. R.I. results (w/overall place):
1 (37), Jake Sienko, Hendricken 15:48; 2 (82), Ryan Meehan, Hendricken 16:12; 3 (88), Brian Doyle, Hendricken 16:14; 4 (101), Mike Mac Kenzie, Hendricken 16:18; 5 (164), Drew Manning, Hendricken 16:56; 6 (191), Mark Vuono, Hendricken 17:31; 7 (199), Andrew Andraka, Hendricken 17:58. 5,000 meters.
