CRDSS CDUNTRY... Bisons Sweep Eighth Title Capturing its eighth straight Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference ' and sixth consecutive NAIA District 17 championships, the 1978 Bison cross country team maintained Harding's supremacy of the Ale. Sophomore Richard Teixeira of Auburn, Ind., led the Bisons, and the rest of the AIC , to win the individual championship. Teixeira recorded a 25:19 timing over the five-mile course enroute to becoming the fifth Bison harrier ever to win the AIC individual crown. And the rest of the Bison contingent was not far off the pace set by Teixeira. Phil Hostetler of Topeka , Ind., claimed third with a time of 25:54 followed by John Sills of Eads, Tenn. , who finished fourth with a 25:59. Randy Jackson of Springdale was the Bisons' other finisher in the top ten with 26:19 clocking for sixth place . Sophomore Mike Howe ll of Rockledge, Fla., placed 16th in the meet to round out the Bison top five. Freshman Steve Schmitz, running a strong race and in third place, apparently overexerted himself in the 85-degree weather and collapsed 60 yards short of the finish line. "The men really ran a great race," Harding coach Ted Lloyd said. "Teixeira ran well and Randy Jackson's performance shows the tremendous improvement he's made this year. " With Teixeira again leading the way, the Bisons placed 18th in the NAIA National Cross Country Chmpionships to record Harding's best finish since 1968. Teixeira placed 50th in the meet, which 5 was held in Kenosha, Wis. Other entries for the Bisons were Hostetler , Sills, Schmitz, Jackson , Howell and Mark Piller of Neenah , Wis. The 1978 season had also begun with a bang. The Bison harriers blitzed Southwestern at Memphis in their season opener grabbing a 15-45 victory. Teixeira claimed first place followed by Hostetler, Sills , Schmitz, and Carter Lambert of Pearl , Miss., as the Bisons recorded the lowest score possible in cross country - 15 pOints. Facing AIC competition the following week, the Bisons again proved victorious as Teixeira took the individual honors and Harding took the team honors in the Ouachita Baptist Invitational. Edging out a runner from Arkansas State University at the tape , Hostetler , the team captain, won the Bison Booster Invitational in 1978. Teixeira placed fourth with Sills and Lambert finishing seventh and ninth , respectively , as Harding claimed the team title. Hostetler is the only senior on the 1978 squad , so the Bisons' string of AIC and District 17 titles will probably continue on for yet another season of Bison dominance in cross country. 1. SENIOR Mark Piller carries his share of the weight to complete the toilsome courses and gain points for the team. 2. WITH VIGOR and control, the Bison team begins another run for Hard ing against Arkansas State University of Jonesboro . 3. DEDICA· TION and will power enable Carter Lambert to carryon and finish the race on the Foothills Vocational · Technical School grounds. 4. ROUNDING the curve , Richard Teixeira continues the grueling course set before him at the Bison Booster lnvitational Meet in late September. 5. THE THRILL of victory is shared among the team after the Bison Booster In vitational meet , with the Bisons captu ring first place . 6. BEATING down the path on a sunny afternoon, Steve Schmitz stretches for the finish line. 7. CROSS COUNTRY TEAM. Front row: Howell , Hoste tler, Schmitz , Sennett. Teixeira, Green, Jackson . Back row; Ma y, Coach Ted Lloyd, Cooper, Sitton, Kemp. Sills, Shepherd. Cross Country ~ 151
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==