On Saturday, October 19, the Rensselaer Cross-country team returned to Williamstown, MA, to compete in the Plansky Invitational on a new 6K course. Both the men’s and the women’s teams placed fifth against strong competition from Bentley, Connecticut College, Elizabethtown, Haverford, UMass Lowell, and Williams.
The women earned a team score of 148 in their second ever 6K competition. Lead runner Rebecca Rosenberg-Beran placed among the top 15 finishers, ranking 11th with a time of 24:25. Following Rosenberg-Beran were juniors Cara O’Toole in 23rd place with 25:08, Claire Lears in 34th with 25:45, and Jess Orsak in 38th with a time of 25:56. Completing the top five runners for RPI was freshman Cate McCullough with the time of 26:06, which earned her 42nd place.
Also placing fifth with a similar score of 159, the men’s team once again proved their team strength by forming their closest leading pack of the season. The top six runners finished almost consecutively for a total pack time spanning only five seconds. Freshman John Evans, who was named men’s cross country performer of the week, led the pack to the finish with the time of 20:23 in 29th place. The next five runners, finishing seconds later, captured consecutive spots from 31st to 34th and 36th place. Junior Doug Dukes was second for the Engineers in 20:26, followed by fellow junior Keith Weiss in 20:27, then, junior John Bonnett, senior Travis Bashaw, and sophomore Bob Baniak all finished in the time of 20:28 to complete the tight scoring pack.
Overall, the teams continue to improve their performances as the season progresses with teamwork as well as individual efforts. The race next weekend at Saratoga Spa State Park is anticipated with enthusiasm, since the course is one of the team’s favorites.
