18A - The Michigan Daily - SportsTuesday - September 8, 1998
4ens cross country ducks golf balls at Open
By Chris Duprey
Daily Sports Writer
The No. 7 Michigan men's cross
country team began its season by run-
ning in the unscored Michigan Open
- an event so unofficial that the
University Golf Course staff doesn't
even stop golfers from playing during
the race.
Traditionally, the open serves as an
opportunity for Michigan coach Ron
Warhurst to select his seven-man
traveling squad and gain an early-sea-
son measurement of the team's poten-
tial.
Todd Snyder turned in a fine audi-
tion for the top spot, pulling away
from his fellow Wolverines in the sec-
ond half of the 8,000-kilometer race
to take the victory.
Perhaps the biggest question facing
Michigan in '98 is how Warhurst will
replace the graduated Kevin Sullivan
and still keep the Wolverines in the
nation's top 10. Michigan hopes that
depth will become its strength, instead
of the liability it was last season.
"This year we have 10 guys capable
of scoring. Last year we only had
five," Warhurst said. "Kevin Sullivan
will always have his place as a legend
in Michigan cross country history. No
one will be able to replace him."
With team captain John Mortimer
expected .to continue his success,
Snyder's resurgence should help
restore the Michigan 1-2 punch of
'97. But Mortimer was out of charac-
ter Saturday. The senior never broke
away from the lead pack to give
Snyder a serious challenge, finishing
fifth.
"This win doesn't mean anything
because Mortimer's not in shape yet,"
Snyder said.
One performance that did mean
something was that of freshman Mark
Pilja. The newcomer ran with captain
Don McLaughlin the entire race,
politely allowing the senior to take
second place ahead of him down the
stretch.
Jay Cantin is another returner
expected to post fast times, but the
junior's ninth-place finish at the open
was not the best indicator of his
endurance. Cantin consistently
rounded out the Wolverines' top five
last season and was a significant fac-
tor in Michigan's fourth-place finish
at NCAAs.
There were plenty of valid excuses
for not running well. The weather was
slightly warmer than expected for an
early morning race, and the wet
ground also slowed the Wolverines.
Slow early performances are nor-
mal at Michigan under Warhurst, who
is entering his 25th season as coach.
Heavy legs in August and September
translate into success come champi-
onship time.
"The team has been putting in 90-
mile weeks," Warhurst said.
"Mortimer's sore. Everyone's sore."
Sullivan was in attendance at the
golf course Saturday - but not in
uniform. The former All-American
took down times for the team and
cheered on his former mates.
The Wolverines will try to build on
a '97 season which saw them capture
every invitational on their schedule.
Sullivan won his fourth individual
Big Ten championship and led his
team to a conference title as well.
Michigan was the favorite in all of
those races - even at the Big Ten
Championships - but the Wolverines
went one step beyond expectations by
taking the NCAA Great Lakes
District Championship title, outlast-
ing 17 other hopefuls to secure an
invitation to nationals.
Even at NCAAs, Michigan kept its
all-business attitude, proving that its
top-five ranking throughout the sea-
son was warranted. Sullivan came up
just short in his pursuit of the individ-
ual title and the Wolverines finished
third, just eight points behind
Colorado.
Warhurst's rigorous training will
have plenty of time to take effect.
Michigan will enjoy two bye week-
ends before traveling to Missoula,
Mont., to defend its '97 champi-
onship at the Mountain West Classic.
U I
YPLAN I L AICH. ,_M (C H
- - - - - - - - -
-
-----
IFREE PAS
G
0
B
L
U
E
fit@0
LOUIS BROWN/Oafty
Katie McGregor (center) led the pack and teammate Elizabeth Kampfe (left) by
nearly 40 seconds at the Sycamore Pride cross country meet Saturday.
'M' harriers cruise to
team, individual titles
at Sycamore ride
t GOOD FOR
I ONE VISIT I
L ----- ----------J
FEATURING:
" 20,000 lbs. of available weight -
* This area's largest workout floor -
* State of the art ICARIAN "
J,
Quinton 3.0 Clubtra Treadmills
MAX Climb Steppers
TECTRIX - Bike Max Bikes
PRECOR - Transports
" Non-Slip rubber flooring
" 15-foot high ceilings
* Pro-Shop
(clothing, supplements, drinks)
free weights and machines
0
1ROUN&TREE i
VIL.AGE RE
WASYEIAORH AF.
WASHTENAW AVE.
Student Rates:
One Semester Only $89
Sept. 1, 1998 - Dec. 31, 1998
School Year $169
Sept. I, 1998 - May 1, 1999
Hours
M-F 6 a.m. - 10 p.m.
SAT 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
SUN 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
II mm I I
_I8 MAPLE
VILLAGE
PLAZA
i
XTADRRA dt.1lQ
MAPLE RD.
i
i
i
0A
ld
j ltt tee
fro I
I
6
734-572-8500
2243 Ellsworth
Ypsilanti, MI
734-913-8500
301 N. Maple Rd.
Ann Arbor, MI
By Josh Borkin
Daily Sports Writer
If any Michigan team looks prepared
to make a run for a national champi-
onship, the women's cross country team
seems to be a leading candidate.
This past Saturday, senior Katie
McGregor led the Wolverines to the
Sycamore Pride title held at Indiana
State. The Wolverines finished first
with a team score of 19 points, 65
points better tharrunner-up Butler.
Overall, six of the top nine finishers
were Wolverines, and all of Michigan's
I 1 entries finished in the top 50 in a
field of 91 runners.
The All-America twosome of
McGregor and Elizabeth Kampfe cap-
tured the top two spots. McGregor
dominated the field, running the five-
kilometer course in a time of 17:32.66,
nearly 40 seconds faster than second-
place finisher Kampfe (18:11.84).
"Personally, I'm not overly pleased
with my performance," Kampfe said.
"But I think this race was a good indi-
cator as to where I am in my training."
McGregor looked dominant from the
start. She immediately broke away from
the pack and was able to sustain a large
lead throughout the race.
"Katie is a phenomenal runner,"
Kampfe said. "I use her as a tool to key
off of."
McGregor and Kampfe provided the
Wolverines with their usual top finish-
es, but freshman transfer Katy
Radkewich surprised many with an
impressive third-place finish
(18:28.83).
Radkewich "was a very accom-
plished high school runner," coach
Mike McGuire said. A four-time All-
American in high school, she attended
Providence last year, but transferred
after sitting out the year due to injury.
"She's a tough competitor and some-
one who can definitely make an impact
up front," McGuire said in a released
statement. "It's going to be a transition
for her though, as it is with any trans-
fer."
Radkewich's performance this past
Saturday seems to be a clear indication
that her transition will be a smooth one.
She finished in front of several
upperclassman, a group which included
sixth-place Michelle Slater (18:45.28),
seventh-place Katie Clifford (18:49.06)
and 16th-place Julie Froud (19:18.85).
"Katy has to adapt to college life*
well as being an athlete, Kampfe said.
"I think she did a great job Saturday
adapting to the competition as well as
the grueling pace, after being injured
last year."
Some of the weaker performances
can be attributed to last week's training
camp in Glen Arbor. Both the men and
women's cross country teams attended
a week-long training camp consisting
of long trail runs, full-team worko
and "a lot of bonding," Kampfe sai.
The Wolverines hope to improve
upon last year's impressive season,
which produced runner-up finishes at
the Big Ten Championships and NCAA
Regionals. They concluded the season
with a seventh-place finish at the
NCAAs. All runners from last year's
squad return.
"This weekend the team showed a lot
of potential," Kampfe said. "We hope*
improve our ability to stay together as a
pack in the beginning of races. By stay-
ing tight as a pack we not only will
place higher, but look intimidating as a
group."
"Champion's Gym - For the Champion in You!!"
U
P, ri
i' J,
IJ
s yOttt~11ont'he an fo 1r
a fina .( st f or ,
itVIIN_ aculty andsa1
Get news faster than
an A2 parking ticket.
|/
Bring this coupon to any
UMCU office. You can find us
at 3 locations in Ann Arbor:
* Main Campus at 333 East William
More inflfrm;.,-
* North Campus in the Pierpont Commons