Cross Country teams run at MIAA Championships

The Olivet College men's and women's cross country teams ran today at the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Championships on a course at the Whiffletree Golf Course in Concord.

The Fighting Comets finished in fifth-place with 150 points. Olivet finished ahead of Alma College and Kalamazoo College.

Sophomore Jeremy Shephard (Kalamazoo/Mattawan High School) finished in 28th-place, and covered the 8K course in 27:31.49. He was followed by sophomore Dan Kimball (National City/Oscoda High School) in 27:48, sophomore Jeremy Van Loon (Ravenna/Grant High School) in 27:49.49, junior Robert Dodson (Elsie/Ovid-Elsie High School) in 27:51.82 and junior Chad Kaiser (Lachine/Alpena High School) in 28:09.64.

The Lady Comets finished in eighth-place. Sophomore Rebecca Dawson (Williamsburg/Elk Rapids High School) led the way with a 27th-place finish in 25:07.18. Following her were freshman Jessica Pletz (Lake/Farwell High School) in 26:31.18, sophomore Rachel Strelecki (Sterling/Standish-Sterling High School) in 29:44.78, freshman Mehgan Sanson (Brown City High School) in 29:44.78 and senior Larissa Kequom (Charlotte High School) in 30:47.98.

In addition, Olivet had five other men compete, but their scores did not factor in the team score. Sophomore Andrew Lapham (South Lyon High School) finished in 28:51.54. Following him were junior Kevin Kreh (Kinde Huron High School) in 29:47.11, freshman Preston Dahlgren (Potterville High School) in 29:49.04, sophomore Mauricio Palli (Bloomington, Ill./Glenbard-Twp. High School) in 29:51.68 and sophomore Jason Brandt (Sterling Heights/Henry Ford High School) in 34:56.61.

Olivet is next in action on Saturday, Nov. 15 when it competes in the NCAA Division III Regional Meet. The meet is being hosted by Hanover (Ind.) College.