College Cross Country Rider at Fordham Fiasco
Men 2nd, Women 3rd
Gonzalez First, Soroko Second
BRONX, NY-Rider's Chris Gonzalez finished first overall and teammate Mike Soroko finished second at the 14-team Fordham Fiasco. "We've never had an individual winner at an invitational race like this since I've been here (2003)," said head coach Bob Hamer. "This is one of the great days in Rider cross country history. It is always great to see a couple of Rider guys out in front."
Competing in the Bronx, The Rider Broncs saw their men place second of 14 teams and the women third of 17 teams. "We did great today," Hamer said. "We actually ran really, really well."
It was the first time since Rider's Scott Keyser finished first at both the Lafayette Invitational and the Monmouth Invitational in September of 2001.
Rider's one-two punch of seniors Christian Gonzalez (Somerset, NJ/Franklin Twp.) and Michael Soroko (Kinnelon, NJ/Kinnelon) placed first and second overall, Gonzalez in 25:50.1 on the 5.0 mile Van Cortlandt Park course and Soroko in 26:07.
"They (Gonzalez, Soroko) ran great," Hamer said. "They were very patient early on. They pushed through the 'back hills' together, gapped the field a little bit. They had about 100 meters on everyone else with about a mile and a half to go. They just worked it in together. Chris finished strong."
"I think this is my first win in a race like this," said Gonzalez, who finished fourth at the IC4A cross country championships last year. "I felt really good. Me and Mike working the whole race together, which made us both feel real comfortable. We stayed together the whole race and about the last 1,000m I broke away."
Soroko was just the third Bronc ever to win an IC4A event (Indoor track 3,000m) and pushes Gonzalez this fall. "I'm happy that Mike and I are right there, together," Gonzalez said. "He really pushes me every day, and that can only make us both better."
For the Rider women, senior Chelsea Callan (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan) finished 10th overall in the 5K race in 19:00.9 and sophomore Jillian Shutt (Lawrenceville, PA/Williamson) was second among Broncs in 20:11.
"Jill ran a really nice race," Hamer said. "She stepped up big time."
"I felt really good today," said Shutt, who ran a 25:03 on this course last fall , placing 31st at the MAAC Championships. "The weather was a lot better than last weekend (ran a 25:06 last week in the 95 degree heat at Lehigh) and my strategy was better this week. I felt so much better today than I've ever felt on this course. I felt really good on the 'back hills' today, really strong. My high school did not offer cross country so I came to Rider as strictly a track runner. The year experience in cross country has really helped me. I have more confidence now and I knew what to expect."
"The women were great today," Hamer said. "They all stepped up big-time after coming out flat last week (season opener at Lehigh). We really showed up and competed today and it showed everyone the team we have. The character and the heart and the confidence that these girls have bodes well for good things to come down the road."
Also for the Rider men, junior Michael Lindner (Whitehouse Station, NJ/Hunterdon Central) placed 12th (26:45.44) among the 136 runners, sophomore Sean Donohue (Cliffwood Beach, NJ/Matawan) placed 16th (26:58.29), sophomore Sean McCullough (Plymouth Meeting, PA/La Salle) placed 31st (27:32.32) and sophomore Greg Wesh (Horsham, PA/Hatboro-Horsham) placed 51st (28:17.59).
Also for the Rider women, sophomore Paige McAtee (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa) finished 36th (20:25.90), sophomore Megan Elgin (Doylestown, PA/Central Bucks East) placed 40th (20:36.09), sophomore Erin Fitzgibbons (Sayreville, NJ/Sayreville) was 41st (20:36.65) and sophomore Nicole Tassello (Suffern, NY/Suffern) was 42nd (20:38.13).
University of Pennsylvania won both the men's and women's races. The Rider men placed ahead of host Fordham and Rutgers.
The Rider women were just behind Rutgers and just ahead of Rowan and Fordham.
The Broncs are now off until October 1 when Rider returns to Lehigh for the Paul Short run.
"I hate breaks," Gonzalez confessed, "but it is better for us in the long run. We are gearing up for Paul Short."
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