Cross Country tops competition

Saturday's Carolina Challenge at Ranson-Hamrick Course posed no challenge to the North Carolina cross country team - the opponents just could not keep up.

The Tar Heel women's and men's teams dominated with team wins. Pablo Durana and Megan Kaltenbach each won individually.

Seven UNC men finished in the top ten. The Tar Heels scored a perfect 15 points, followed by South Florida's 52 and East Carolina's 76.

The women had six of the top 10 finishers in the 5k race. They scored 18 points, beating out USF's 45, ECU's 76, and Virginia Commonwealth's 98.

The annual Carolina Challenge also invites UNC alumni to run in the race. Alumnus Kevin Pierpoint finished second in the 8k men's race with a time of 26 minutes.

Durana's win was his second consecutive top finish. Following the Wake Relays, he was named ACC Male Performer of the Week.

Durana blew through the competition by leading throughout, winning with a time of 25:35.

"We have had two very tough weeks of training, and most of us approached this race with tired legs," he said. "But this effort is preparing us well for our conference and regional meets."

Tristram Thomas and Jeffrey Peterson both had a time of 26:06, finishing after Pierpoint. They were followed by a slew of Tar Heels - Drew Felts, Alex Ray, and Jesse Rappole.

The men ran well as a pack, which was a goal of Coach Michael Whittlesey before the season.

"Pablo is significantly ahead of the pack, but if we can keep that next four close together, then we'll be doing pretty well," he said.

The women ran well together too, as UNC blew through the race with the top four runners. Kaltenbach led the way with a time of 18:07.

Freshmen Laura Cummings and Brianna Felnagle tied for second, coming in a tick behind Kaltenbach. All-American Carol Henry finished fourth.

With last year's ACC championship, the return of Henry and Kaltenbach, and the influx of top flight freshmen, the women have high expectations for the year.

"We really want to do something special this year as a team, and that is to finish higher than any Carolina women's team has finished at NCAA," Kaltenbach said. "We really want to be top five, if not higher."

The Carolina Challenge is the only home meet of the fall season and means a lot to the Tar Heel runners.

"Getting together with our cross country alumni during the Carolina Challenge strengthens my pride as a Tar Heel," Durana said. "Once a Tar Heel, always a Tar Heel."

 

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