Nov. 14, 2009
SPRINGFIELD, Ore. – Brandon Bethke placed seventh overall and Kari Hardt took 16th-place as each Sun Devil led their respective Arizona State University cross country team to Top 5 team placements at the NCAA West Region Championships on Saturday as both teams stated their cases to earn berths into the national meet next weekend. The regional races, held at the Springfield Country Club in Springfield, Ore., saw the Sun Devil women take fourth place and the men tied for fifth overall.
The men’s 10,000m race was the first on the course on Saturday and saw the No. 13 men score 155 points (the ninth-best point total in program history at the regional meet) to tie with Cal Poly for fifth overall while No. 1 Stanford (27) and No. 7 Portland (84) earned the region’s automatic berths into the national meet by finishing in the Top 2. No. 3 Oregon (109) and No. 17 Washington (120) placed ahead of ASU to round out the Top 5. In the women’s 6,000m race, the Sun Devils tallied 119 points to take fourth place with the Top 2 positions going to No. 1 Washington (25) and No. 5 Oregon (66). No. 14 Stanford (94) finished ahead of the Sun Devils while rival No. 24 Arizona (202) was fifth.
While his team scored the ninth-best point total in the program’s history, Bethke placed his name on the individual list as his seventh-place showing tied him with Kyle Alcorn (2007) and Ryan Warrenburg (2005) for the ninth-best finish all-time. With his finish in the race, which clocked him in at 30:50.49, Bethke earned all-region accolades and nearly had a teammate on the all-region team with him as Ben Engelhardt finished one place from earning the distinction as he was 26th-overall in 31:24.00. Jeff Helmer (31:25.49), Patrick Milloy (31:38.53) and Zeke Van Patten (32:17.28) rounded out the Top 5 runners for the Sun Devils as the trio finished 29th, 36th and 61st, respectively. Dylan Hatcher (62nd, 32:17.37) and Nick Happe (70th, 32:27.85) also ran in the race.
On the women’s side, four Sun Devils finished in the Top 25 to earn all-region honors with all four crossing the finish line in a close pack with Hardt leading the way as she finished 16th overall in 21:22.55. Anna Sperry (21:26.31) and Lindsay Prescott (21:28.76) both placed in the Top 20 as they placed 18th and 20th, respectively, while Allie Kieffer (21:30.58) finished 21st overall. Angela Spadafino (22:04.25) finished 45th overall to round out the Top 5 positions on the team while Kate Lydy (22:24.53) and Cherise McNair (22:35.05) rounded out the Sun Devils in the race with placements of 62nd and 71st, respectively.
The Sun Devils will now await word from the NCAA to see if they are one of the 13 teams selected as at-large participants into the national meet that will be held Monday, November 23, at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute, Ind.
2009 NCAA West Region Championships
Springfield Country Club • Springfield, Ore. (host: Oregon)
ASU Men’s Results - 10,000m Course
7. Brandon Bethke - 30:50.49
26. Ben Engelhardt - 31:24.00
29. Jeff Helmer - 31:25.49
36. Patrick Milloy - 31:38.53
61. Zeke Van Patten - 32:17.28
62. Dylan Hatcher - 32:17.37
70. Nick Happe - 32:27.85
Men’s Team Scoring - Top 5
1. #1 Stanford - 27
2. #7 Portland - 84
3. #3 Oregon - 109
4. #17 Washington - 120
5. #13 Arizona State & Cal Poly - 155
ASU Women’s Results - 6,000m Course
16. Kari Hardt - 21:22.55
18. Anna Sperry - 21:26.31
20. Lindsay Prescott - 21:28.76
21. Allie Kieffer - 21:30.58
45. Angela Spadafino - 22:04.25
62. Kate Lydy - 22.24.53
71. Cherise McNair - 22:35.05
Women’s Team Scoring
1. #1 Washington - 25
2. #5 Oregon - 66
3. #14 Stanford - 94
4. #16 Arizona State - 119
5. #24 Arizona - 202