UM runner places 2nd at NCAAs
11/19/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country, Cross Country
University of Montana sophomore Antony Ford's second place finish Saturday at the NCAA Mountain Region cross country championships was the best UM has seen in 17 years.
Ford's time of 30 minutes 11 seconds qualified him for the NCAA Championships next Monday in Terre Haute, Ind. He was the fastest Big Sky runner at regionals in seven years and broke his goal time by more than nine seconds.
Not only has nobody finished in second place since 1985, but the last UM runner to even place in the top10 was Clint Morrison, who was eighth in 1991.
Montana coach Tom Raunig said Ford ran better than he expected.
Ford, who finished third at Big Sky conferences, began the 10-kilometer race right next to Big Sky Conference champion Casey Jermyn from Montana State University and Kyle Weese, also from MSU.
"He didn't get carried away early on," Raunig said. "He never lost focus."
Ford ran with the MSU men for the first 2 miles, but powered ahead after they started to fade, said Raunig.
"It's almost like the others fell off, and then he just kept on going," he said.
Ford ran by himself for the rest of the race. He finished 38 seconds behind defending champion Jorge Torres of Colorado and 11 seconds ahead of Torres' twin brother, Ed, also of Colorado.
Jorge Torres broke the University of New Mexico's course record with a time of 29 minutes 33 seconds.
Although Ford's race was a great achievement, UM cross country, both the men's and women's teams, had their share of heartache.
UM's Scott McGowan dropped out of the race after four and a half miles because he reaggravated a foot injury. UM's first runner in behind Ford was Chris Tobiason who finished 66th.
UM's men's and women's teams placed 12th overall. The women, who were hoping to finish sixth, had a number of setbacks, said Raunig.
"The women, unfortunately, had all of their bad luck in one race," he said.
Senior Julie Ham, UM's national hopeful, was in 17th place when she began to hyperventilate with one kilometer left in the 6-kilometer race.
"She was barely able to finish," said Raunig.
UM freshman Shannon Johnson of UM fell down and was trampled by runners 300-meters off the starting line, said Raunig. She received minor bruises.
The first woman in for UM was Kerry Bogner who finished in 27th place with a time of 23 minutes and 12 seconds.
Ford's time of 30 minutes 11 seconds qualified him for the NCAA Championships next Monday in Terre Haute, Ind. He was the fastest Big Sky runner at regionals in seven years and broke his goal time by more than nine seconds.
Not only has nobody finished in second place since 1985, but the last UM runner to even place in the top10 was Clint Morrison, who was eighth in 1991.
Montana coach Tom Raunig said Ford ran better than he expected.
Ford, who finished third at Big Sky conferences, began the 10-kilometer race right next to Big Sky Conference champion Casey Jermyn from Montana State University and Kyle Weese, also from MSU.
"He didn't get carried away early on," Raunig said. "He never lost focus."
Ford ran with the MSU men for the first 2 miles, but powered ahead after they started to fade, said Raunig.
"It's almost like the others fell off, and then he just kept on going," he said.
Ford ran by himself for the rest of the race. He finished 38 seconds behind defending champion Jorge Torres of Colorado and 11 seconds ahead of Torres' twin brother, Ed, also of Colorado.
Jorge Torres broke the University of New Mexico's course record with a time of 29 minutes 33 seconds.
Although Ford's race was a great achievement, UM cross country, both the men's and women's teams, had their share of heartache.
UM's Scott McGowan dropped out of the race after four and a half miles because he reaggravated a foot injury. UM's first runner in behind Ford was Chris Tobiason who finished 66th.
UM's men's and women's teams placed 12th overall. The women, who were hoping to finish sixth, had a number of setbacks, said Raunig.
"The women, unfortunately, had all of their bad luck in one race," he said.
Senior Julie Ham, UM's national hopeful, was in 17th place when she began to hyperventilate with one kilometer left in the 6-kilometer race.
"She was barely able to finish," said Raunig.
UM freshman Shannon Johnson of UM fell down and was trampled by runners 300-meters off the starting line, said Raunig. She received minor bruises.
The first woman in for UM was Kerry Bogner who finished in 27th place with a time of 23 minutes and 12 seconds.
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