Reyes, Goff qualify for nationals

• Aleona Reyes

Aleona Reyes
• Samantha Goff

Samantha Goff

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Jamestown College’s Aleona Reyes just keeps getting better.

The junior cross country standout from Belen, NM is headed back to nationals for the third straight year after running a career-best time at the Association of Independent Institution Qualifier Meet in Escondido, Calif. on Saturday.

Reyes placed sixth out of 50 runners in the 5K event, finishing with a personal top time of 17:47. Reyes finished fourth at the A.I.I Conference Championships one year ago.

“Aleona ran four seconds faster than she did last year when she got fourth,” JC women’s cross country coach Jim Clark said. “She likes that course and likes that kind of competing.

“When you’re going up against the two top teams in the country, you know when you accomplish something there you are doing pretty well.”

The two teams the coach was referring to are No. 1-ranked California State-San Marcos and No. 2-ranked British Columbia. British Columbia, however, dethroned San Marcos on Saturday, breaking up San Marcos’ run of four straight conference titles.

The two-time defending NAIA national champs fell to British Columbia 25-38. Jamestown finished third in the team standings with a 38.

Jamestown College freshman Samantha Goff also turned a few heads on Saturday. The Danvers, Minn. native also qualified for nationals by capturing 13th with a time of 18:38.

The NAIA Nationals will be held on Nov. 17 in Vancouver, Wash.

“We accomplished about as much as we could have,” Clark said. “Samantha Goff … that’s a pretty amazing feat for a freshman. To go to that meet having never been in cross country before and do that well. She’s come along ways.”

Goff ran a personal best by 37 seconds, and Jamestown College’s No. 3 runner topped her personal best time by over a minute. Freshmen Katie Blais took 25th in a time of 19:39.

Jamestown College’s Andrea Andrea Markwart (20:36) and Sheyenne Stewart (21:04) finished in 29th and 30th, respectively.

“It was a fun meet,” Clark said. “We had our best team performance of the year and got as close to those top two teams as we could.”

Reyes and Goff will now be gearing up for nationals. The veteran Reyes placed 12th and earned All-American status at nationals last season.

“I’m sure Aleona wants to be an All-American again. She ran an incredible race last year. She really trained well and stayed healthy and ran a great race,” Clark said. “There the competition is so good if you don’t run at the top of your game it could mean 50 places.

“Samantha has been coming on really well. She was a 400 (meters) and 800 runner in high school,” Clark said. “Finishing in the top 100 is really good in that race, and a top 50 for a freshman would be spectacular. We’ll just have to wait and see how it goes.”

The Jimmie men were unable to qualify a runner for nationals on Saturday. Jamestown College senior Dave Londe, of Cheyenne, Wyo., paced the Jimmies in the 8K in 26th place with a time of 28:29.

Freshman Connor Doppler was the lead runner for the Jimmies most of the race, before Londe snuck past him in the final 400 meters. Doppler finished 27th in a career best time of 28:30.

A total of 46 runners competed in the men’s race. The Jimmies finished in a tie for third place with Ashford at 107 as a team.

A.I.I. Cross Country

Conference Championships

At Escondido, Calif.

Saturday

Women

Team results

1, British Columbia 25; 2, California State-San Marcos 38; 3, Jamestown 84; 4, Ashford 123; 5, Johnson & Wales 140; 6, Dakota State 144.

Top 10 individuals

Jackie Regan, BC, 17:13; 2, Maria Bernard, BC, 17:18; 3, Chelsey Cortez, SM, 17:19; 4, Kelly Thompson, SM, 17:23; 5, Heather Slinn, BC, 17:47; 6, Aleona Reyes, JC, 17:47; 7, Ayded Reyes, SM, 17:52; 8, Amelie de Fenoyl, BC, 17:55; 9, Sarah Reimer, BC, 18:01; 10, Meghan Hamiln, SM, 18:19.

Other JC results

13, Samantha Goff, 18:38; 25, Katie Blais, 19:39; 29, Andrea Markwart, 20:36; 30, Sheyenne Stewart, 21:04; 34, Bernie Bachel, 21:22; 45, Ashley Mueller, 22:41.

Men

Team results

1, California State-San Marcos 24; British Columbia 36; 3 (tie) Ashford 107; Jamestown College 107; 5, Dakota State 110.

Individual results

1, Danny Lyon, SM, 24:18; 2, Luc Bruchet, BC, 24:27; 3, Western Nelson, SM, 25:07; 4, Steven Ing, SM, 25:15; 5, Michael Hewitt, SM, 25:30; 6, Andy Coy, DS, 25:34; 7, Tim Huesbsch, BC, 25:35; 8, Matt Galea, BC, 25:50; 9, Jack Williams, BC, 25:56; 10, Tim Smith, BC, 25:57.

JC results

26, Dave Londe, 28:29; 27, Connor Doppler, 28:30; 29, Spencer Kamoni, 29:03; 33, Joe Jensen, 30:24; 34, Scott Roemmich, 30:27; 41, Kyle Nielsen, 31:29; 42, Kendall Wiltzen, 31:41.

Sun sports writer Michael Savaloja can be reached at (701) 952-8461 or by email at mikes@jamestownsun.com

Tags: cross country, sports, jimmies