SPORTS 1987, H.U. REVIEW, Searcy, Ark.4 Harriers sweep championships by Bobby Davidson Bison editor Running what Coach Ted Lloyd called their "best race of the year," the men's and women's cross country teams Wednesday fulfilled everyone's expectations by sweeping the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference and NAIA District 17 Championship Meet at the Bald Knob Country Club. Both teams accepted the challenge of the grass course's hilly slopes and came away with performances that earned 10 of the athletes All-AIC honors, as well as All-District 17 recognition for nine of the runners. The men's team ran away with their 16th consecutive AIC title, recording a team score of 24. The individual top finisher in the men's division was Clint Daniels of Arkansas Tech University, who turned in a time of 24:55. Senior Eddie Neal put out a gutsy second-place effort, finishing the fivemile course in 25:34. Neal began to experience problems about halfway through the race when cramps developed in both of his shins. ''They (the shins) got really tight at about two or two-and-a-half miles, so I had to really stretch them out on the downhill stretches of the course," Neal explained. Neal was confronted with the same problem at the Southeastern Championship Meet two weeks ago in Nashville, when he dropped from first to fifth place because of cramped shins. ''The Nashville race was kind of in the back of my mind, but there was no way that I was going to let cramps stop me today. This is what you wait for and work for day after day, so I wasn't going to let it get away from me," Neal remarked. Lloyd, in his 18th year as the Bisons' mentor, found Neal's determination impressive, but not uncharacteristic. "I'll tell you;_ if Eddie had legs like his heart, he'd oe an All-American immediately. He's been a real leader for our team,'' Lloyd said. The Bisons also placed four other runners in the top 10. Freshman Jon Murray, 25: 40; sophomore Rich Lockhart, 25: 59; senior Darryl Halbert, 26: 02 and junior Jon Partlow, 26:03; took fourth through seventh places, respectively. All five athletes were named All-Conference and AllDistrict for their performances in defense of the AIC title. Ouachita Baptist University, the team that was touted as a possible contender for the men's championship, finished a distant second to the Bisons with 42 points. Placing behind Ouachita's Tigers was Arkansas Tech University, 78; the University of Arkansas-Monticello, 106; Henderson State University, 130; the University of Central Arkansas, 153; College of the Ozarks, 198; Hendrix College, 225 and Arkansas College, 244. The Lady Bisons, meanwhile, took the first step toward a winning tradition with their first AIC championship since the team's inception in 1981. The team was led by four runners who All-American by Bobby Davidson Bison editor Harding wide receiver Jack Moore has been named to the Division I Academic AllAmerica football team selected by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for the second straight season. A 5-11, 176 lb., wide receiver, Moore earned a 3.78 grade point average while majoring in premedicine/chemistry. He is a native of Huntsville, Ala. During the 1986 season, Moore caught 35 passes for 476 yards and two touchdowns. As a member of the specialty team he was credited with five solo tackles. ' 'Jack is a tremendous young man," Head Coach John Prock said. "He's an outstanding JACK MOORE athlete. It's great to see him get this national recognition." Moore and teammate Brooks Davis also were nominated for the Academic All-America team selected each year by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). finished in the top 10 overall. Freshman Melynda Davis continued in the winning ways that have come to be expected of her, turning in the top time of 18: 49 for the women's 3.125-mile course. Third place belonged to junior Beverly Gardner, who finished in 19: 47, followed by sophomore Cheryl Bednosky, who fought through the pain of a possible stress fracture in her foot to a fourthplace time of 19: 58. Ninth place went to sophomore Jodie Murray at 20:29, while sophomore Joan Cigrang was timed at 21:08 for a 12th-place ranking. All five of the ladies earned All-AIC honors and Davis, Gardner, Bednosky and Murray made the All-District team. "Our girls' program has taken a quantam leap this year; they've improved greatly," ·Lloyd commented. ''We were counting on some key people and they came through for us.'' Now the teams must shut out of their minds the excitement of Wednesday's victory, in preparation for tomorrow's NAIA National Championship Meet, which is to be held in Kenosha, Wis. In an effort to get his athletes focused on the upcoming national meet, Lloyd called for an intensive team workout yesterday. ''They need to forget about this (the AIC and District 17 meet) for right now and get ready to run in the national meet," Lloyd said. "If we run as well as we are capable of, I'm optimistic that we could finish in the top 15 teams in the nation." Bison The Bison Editor: Bobby Davidson Assistant Editors: Amy Blankenship, Bill Everett Business Managers: Marianne Mott, Jeff Stevenson Photo Editor: Darin Martin Sports Editor: Lance Duncan Cartoonist: Bob Foster Advisor: Dennis Organ The Bison is published weekly except during vacations, final examination and summer sessions by Harding University, Searcy, Arkansas 72143. Subscription rates: $9 per year. Second class postage (USP 577660) paid at Searcy, Arkansas. H.U. Revif!W 49
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