11/12/06

Over hill, over dale (poor Dale). Through mud and muck, and on a course that may have been better suited for the Nordic team rather than the cross country squad, the Saints completed their first season competing at the NCAA Division-III level with an 18th place finish at the NCAA D-III Central Regional hosted by St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., on Saturday afternoon.

Over eight inches of overnight snow delayed the race start one hour as St. Olaf crews feverishly worked all morning to clear the race course for the runners.

In less than ideal conditions -- but the same for everyone -- the Saints raced their way over the slippery 8,000 meter course, led by freshman Dan Conley's 78th place time of 27 minutes and 39 seconds.

Jason Kask (94th, 28:02), Tyler Kjorstad (122nd, 29:23), Joe Stromsness (123rd, 29:26) and John Bradshaw (128th, 29:35) rounded out the runners in scoring positions for the Saints.

Nebraska Wesleyan's Chris Dunker was the Regional's individual champion in a time of 25:37, while Hamline University took the team title.

Up until this season, St. Scholastica raced as an NAIA member school. They captured their first ever UMAC team title two weekends ago at the UMAC Championship and placed five runners -- Kask, Conley, Kjorstad, Stromsness, and Bradshaw -- on the All-Conference squad.