WESTFIELD, Mass. – Defending its 2012 New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) men's cross country runner-up title, Southern Vermont College ran its way to another second-place finish Saturday morning at Stanley Park in Westfield, Mass., a championship hosted by Bay Path College.
Southern Vermont's sterling attitude and respect for its opponents also paved the way for the team to receive the Team Sportsmanship Award.
Junior captain Victor Velazquez (Los Angeles, Calif.) made his way to a Second Team All-NECC placement with a ninth-place finish, leading the team with a time of 29:53. He also landed a Second Team honor last year.
The next three Mountaineers across the line were bunched well, just missing out on all-conference accolades: junior Hesbon Ogeka (Windom, Minn.) was second for the squad, 11th overall, at 30:39, and freshman Corey Barcomb (Burlington, Vt.) was right behind with a time of 30:42 for a 12th-place finish; he was the third freshman to cross the line in the 50-runner field.
Sophomore Cameron Curtiss (Milton, Vt.) was fourth for Southern Vermont at 30:48, placing 13th, and sophomore Kenneth Poteat (Yonkers, N.Y.) rounded out the Mountaineer top five at 21st with a time of 32:04. Junior Herson Canta (Eagle Rock, Calif.), who had led SVC at every race this year, placed 28th with a time of 34:32 despite running with a strained hamstring that he sustained earlier in the week.
Lesley University captured its fifth-straight NECC title, achieving a near perfect score as it placed the first four runners across the line and added its fifth at the sixth-place spot. Lynx sophomore harrier Nick Green (Stoughton, Mass.) took the Runner of the Year honor, finishing first with a time of 27:07.00. Regis College freshman Matt Norton (Weymouth, Mass.) finished first for the Pride and fifth overall with a time of 29:13.03, bringing him to be the NECC Rookie of the Year. Mitchell College rounded out the top three team placements.
The Mountaineers are not done with the 2013 season as a few will continue to train and get ready for the NCAA Regional Championship on November 16 at the University of Southern Maine in Cumberland.
Team Results/Times
9th - Velazquez, Victor 29:53.83
11th - Ogeka, Hesbon 30:39.42
12th - Barcomb, Corey 30:42.61
13th - Curtiss, Cameron 30:48.52
21st - Poteat, Kenneth 32:04.74
28th - Canta, Herson 34:32.91
42nd - O'Toole, Patrick 40:41.50
47th - McCullough, Mikey 43:54.56
Complete NECC Awards
Men's Runner of the Year
Nick Green, Lesley
Men's Rookie of the Year
Matt Norton, Regis
Men's Coach of the Year
Dan Flynn, Regis
Men's Team Sportsmanship
Southern Vermont*
Men's All-Conference First Team
Nick Green, Lesley
Ian Barber, Lesley
Andy Scott, Lesley
Chris Conforti, Lesley
Men's All-Conference Second Team
Dillon Simmons, Lesley
Jonathan Paul, Regis
Kilton Webb, Lesley
Victor Velazquez, Southern Vermont*
Spencer Daniel, Mitchell