Up to five Mansfield runners set new personal records at the Sturthard Stampede in Acorn as the Lady Tigers took second in the team standings.
Run on a mild weather day on September 26, three Tiger women and two of the men navigated the 5k course in their fastest career times. Megan Rose, Corrina Wesley, Natalie Brewer as well as Devon Pyles and Joris Felius were credited with the accomplishments along the Acorn hosted course.
Rose, the Tiger’s lead runner and college cross country recruit, helped set the pace with a stellar 21:06.5 cruise around the 3.1 mile equivalent. That margin was good enough for second place overall in the individual standings.
Senior teammates Wesley and Brewer ran almost identical times once again as they have nearly all season. The pair punched in at 24:57.0 and 24:57.4. The marks were medal worthy editions at 15th and 16th places respectively.
Pyles, another senior, turned the two loop course in 18:48.5. This, his career best, placed him at 15th overall and into the medal standings.
Netherlands foreign exchange student now Mansfield Tiger, Joris Felius, posted a 18:55.7 as his best time since joining the American team. His finish line crossing was good enough for 20th place and his first USA medal.
“It was really exciting for the players and their families,” stated John Mackey, Mansfield’s long time coach. “In fact, Corrina (Wesley) was moved to tears. She thought I was joking and asked several times before calling her mom and boyfriend with the news.”
Mansfield’s top runner Rose began the race in her usual fashion. The senior sat back in the beginning sizing up the competition before moving up after the first mile.
Holding her own fifth place at the mile mark, Rose steadily moved forward knocking off all but one competitor in the race. DeQueen’s Heidy Galvan forced the lead before the second mile and held off the field with a 20:57.8 first place finish.
Rose was about 30 seconds behind Galvan after the first loop. The Mansfield native gained on the larger school runner but couldn’t quite catch the lead. Rose trailed Galvan by less than nine seconds as the pair crossed one and two for the gold and silver rewards.
DeQueen’s overall depth won the team trophy with 27 points. Mansfield slid into second with 65 points. Acorn closed fast with a third place mark of 66. Heavener reached the top four with a score of 73.
Mansfield’s top five scorers were Rose, Lennon Woods, Wesley, Brewer, and Jesse George.
Woods was the second fastest on the team with a solid 24:27.5 measurement. George came across in 28:13.7.
