MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY SENDS SENIOR TO NATIONALS The Men 's Cross Country team had high hopes for the 1999 season. The team trained harder than ever and was ready for Nationals. However, the ream ran into some unexpected difficulties at the NCAASouth Central Regional Meet in early November. Three of the tOp five runners were sick during the competit ion. The cross country team placed sixth overall, which excluded them from Nationals. Only those teams fin ishing in [he top five places were able to compete in Nationals. "We didn ' t do so well at regionals. It was disappointing for the team because they worked so hard," Coach Brian Phillipssaid. "Even though the team did not make it to Nationals, they were still the best team I have coached in my fouryears as head cross ccumry coach." One of the leaders for the Bisons was AlIAmerican JerryMaririm.Maritim, asenior, qualified individually for Narionals. H e finished 23 rd atthe NCAA II National Meet in Jopl in, Mo. in November. His finish was good enough to be named All-American. "I did pretry good at Regionals, but 1 am sad about the team not quali fYing [fo r Nationals]," he said. "Jerry d id a good job at regionals," Phi lli ps said. "H e was one pfthe individuals who was sick and he still managed ro make it ro Nationals." The Bisons qualified for regionals with a second place fin ish at the Lone Star Conference (LSC) Meet held at East Central Un iversiry in October. Albert Tabut, senio r, led Harding, fini shing the eight kilometer race in 25:06. Maritim came in fifth. The Bisons also found success at their othe r meets, winning at O uachita Baptist, Sep t. 11 and ~t home, Oct. 9. The team trained extremely hard th is season. Phillips rook the team to di ffe rent locations to run and provided the men with a more chall enging practice. "The team had good t iming, high spirits and trained hard. This has been the best year si nce I've been here," Maritim said. "The training was much better. The coach made uS run up moun - tains, not hills. " This was the Bisons' last trip ro the Lone Star Conference Meet. The- team will be competing in the Gulf South Conference (GSC) next year. Although the conference wi ll not be as competit ive, H arding is the favorite to win. Japeth Langat, junior member of t h e team, believes that the change in conference will be good for the Bisons. "I think be ing in the GulfSouth Conference will help Harding to advance," Langat said. The team wi ll be "I DID PRETTY GOOD AT REGIONALS, BUT 1 AM SAD ABOUT THE TEAM NOT QUALIFYING [FOR NATIONALS]." -JERRY MARITIM, SENIOR losi ng twO oftheir top runners next year,Maritim and T abut. The two men have led the cross country {earn throughout their years at H arding. However, while the team is losing twO runners, it has also gained a top prospect - Linus Chepkwong, junior college All-American. The members of the men's cross country team worked hard to compete t.o the best of their abili ty, according ro Phillips. He said that nOt qual ifYing for nat ionals will make them stronger and more competit ive next year. PholO by Daniel Duboi~ - Ginger W ilson Andrew Scharff, sophomore, extends all of his effort down the home stretch to the finish line. The Bisons won the Ted Lloyd Bison Stampede at Harding, OCt. 9, sweeping the tOP six places. Men's Cross Country 199
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