BREA, Calif. – Daan Haven and John Reniewicki led the way for the Sun Devil cross country teams in their season-opening races at the Mark Covert Classic Saturday, with Haven taking second overall in the women's 5K and Reniewicki coming in 15th in the 8K.
Haven and the women took third in the team competition scoring 62 points. Her second-place finish came in 17:47.1, just two seconds off the winner. She was joined in the top-five by Alexis Nichols who crossed the line seven seconds later in 17:54.
"Daan was in a good place most of the race, and with 800 meters to go she had a chance to really push the pace and go for the lead," coach Jeremy Rasmussen said. "Alexis did a tremendous job to work through the field after getting kind of bottled in the first 100 meters. She got out of it and worked hard to put herself in that position."
The final three scorers for the Devils finished in a pack with Samantha Ortega taking 18th, Megan Reniewicki taking 20th and Courtney Lewis coming in at 23rd. Anna Pruter was the sixth Sun Devil to cross the line in 37th.
"We're going to need the other ladies to step up and be somewhere closer to Daan and Alexis," Rasmussen said. "Megan hadn't run cross country in two years, so it was good to see her do what she did today, but I think the rest of group knows they'll have to step up if we want to be successful."
On the men's side, John Reniewicki held on to his top-spot from a season ago as he led the Sun Devils once again by taking 15th in 25:14.5.
U.S. Junior steeplechase champion Jackson Lewis crossed the line 30 seconds later in 33rd place. His time was 16 seconds faster than his best collegiate 8K that he put down at the Pre-Nationals Invitational halfway through last season.
"We held John back for the first three miles to work with Jackson," Rasmussen said. "After we let him go, he made up a lot of ground on the field and moved up from about 30th to 15th in the last two miles."
A mostly inexperienced crew of Sun Devils followed behind the two front runners. Outside of redshirt sophomore Michael Renner (74th), ASU's remaining four entrants were making their collegiate debuts in Brea, California.
Adam Klein was the highest-finishing of the new Devils as he finished just ahead of Renner in 72nd. Joseph Dicke took 82nd, and Timothy Sterkel and Fitzgerald Laurie finished 118th and 121st, respectively.
"Other than John, we've got a young group," Rasmussen said. "It's challenging to run an 8K off the gun, but it was important to get that in there for them to understand early on what it's going to be successful."
With opening day out of the way, the Sun Devils return to Tempe for an off week before heading into enemy territory for the Dave Murray Invitational in Tucson on Sept. 14.
Mark Covert Classic | Brea, Calif. | Sept. 1, 2018
Men's 8K Results – 10th Place (235 pts.)
15. John Reniewicki – 25:14.5
33. Jackson Lewis – 25:42.9
72. Adam Klein – 26:21.7
74. Michael Renner – 26:23.1
82. Joseph Dicke – 26:37.2
118. Timothy Sterkel – 27:44.8
121. Fitzgerald Laurie – 27:49.2
Women's 5K Results – Third Place (62 pts.)
2. Daan Haven – 17:47.1
5. Alexis Nichols – 17:54.0
18. Samantha Ortega – 18:18.7
20. Megan Reniewicki – 18:24.6
23. Courtney Lewis – 18:27.0
37. Anna Pruter – 18:41.8
Haven and the women took third in the team competition scoring 62 points. Her second-place finish came in 17:47.1, just two seconds off the winner. She was joined in the top-five by Alexis Nichols who crossed the line seven seconds later in 17:54.
"Daan was in a good place most of the race, and with 800 meters to go she had a chance to really push the pace and go for the lead," coach Jeremy Rasmussen said. "Alexis did a tremendous job to work through the field after getting kind of bottled in the first 100 meters. She got out of it and worked hard to put herself in that position."
The final three scorers for the Devils finished in a pack with Samantha Ortega taking 18th, Megan Reniewicki taking 20th and Courtney Lewis coming in at 23rd. Anna Pruter was the sixth Sun Devil to cross the line in 37th.
"We're going to need the other ladies to step up and be somewhere closer to Daan and Alexis," Rasmussen said. "Megan hadn't run cross country in two years, so it was good to see her do what she did today, but I think the rest of group knows they'll have to step up if we want to be successful."
On the men's side, John Reniewicki held on to his top-spot from a season ago as he led the Sun Devils once again by taking 15th in 25:14.5.
U.S. Junior steeplechase champion Jackson Lewis crossed the line 30 seconds later in 33rd place. His time was 16 seconds faster than his best collegiate 8K that he put down at the Pre-Nationals Invitational halfway through last season.
"We held John back for the first three miles to work with Jackson," Rasmussen said. "After we let him go, he made up a lot of ground on the field and moved up from about 30th to 15th in the last two miles."
A mostly inexperienced crew of Sun Devils followed behind the two front runners. Outside of redshirt sophomore Michael Renner (74th), ASU's remaining four entrants were making their collegiate debuts in Brea, California.
Adam Klein was the highest-finishing of the new Devils as he finished just ahead of Renner in 72nd. Joseph Dicke took 82nd, and Timothy Sterkel and Fitzgerald Laurie finished 118th and 121st, respectively.
"Other than John, we've got a young group," Rasmussen said. "It's challenging to run an 8K off the gun, but it was important to get that in there for them to understand early on what it's going to be successful."
With opening day out of the way, the Sun Devils return to Tempe for an off week before heading into enemy territory for the Dave Murray Invitational in Tucson on Sept. 14.
Mark Covert Classic | Brea, Calif. | Sept. 1, 2018
Men's 8K Results – 10th Place (235 pts.)
15. John Reniewicki – 25:14.5
33. Jackson Lewis – 25:42.9
72. Adam Klein – 26:21.7
74. Michael Renner – 26:23.1
82. Joseph Dicke – 26:37.2
118. Timothy Sterkel – 27:44.8
121. Fitzgerald Laurie – 27:49.2
Women's 5K Results – Third Place (62 pts.)
2. Daan Haven – 17:47.1
5. Alexis Nichols – 17:54.0
18. Samantha Ortega – 18:18.7
20. Megan Reniewicki – 18:24.6
23. Courtney Lewis – 18:27.0
37. Anna Pruter – 18:41.8