Keitany crowned Region 24 Cross Country Champion in photo finish

CHARLESTON, Ill. – The Vincennes University men's and women's Cross Country teams took part in the NJCAA Region 24 Championships Thursday afternoon hosted by Eastern Illinois University.

The day ended with a bang for the Trailblazers as sophomore runner Mathew Keitany (Kenya) completed a late race comeback to edge out the individual Region 24 Championship by one-tenth of a second.

VU's men's and women's teams each were named the NJCAA Division Region 24 Champions, as Vincennes was the only Division I program competing, while Heartland Community College, Kaskaskia College and Danville Area Community College all had races competing for the Division II title.

The day began with the Women's 5K race. The Trailblazers were quickly fighting an uphill battle after the Heartland CC racers got off to a quick start.

Sophomore Brittany Page (Freelandville, Ind.) paced the VU runners to come away with the Division I Individual Championship after crossing the line at 20:59.9.

Freshman Ada Peterman (Clay, Ill.) and sophomore Daisie Kinnett (Wheatland, Ind.) were the next across the line after a tough back-and-forth race with Peterman ending at 21:12.4 and Kinnett following closely behind at 21:14.7.

Sophomore Hope Laughlin (Olney, Ill.) and freshman Makenna Pruett (Montgomery, Ind.) rounded out the Trailblazers women's race with Laughlin finishing with a time of 21:58.2 and Pruett ending at 22:54.8.

The Men's 8K race closed out the day at Eastern Illinois with a fantastic photo finish with Trailblazer Mathew Keitany taking the top spot with a time of 25:42.8.

Freshman Isaac Stanford (Flora, Ill.) was the second Blazer across the line at 26:18.5.

Sophomores Ernest Momodu (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Ian Boit (Kimilili, Kenya) were the next VU runners to finish, with Momodu posting a time of 26:42.6 and Boit ending at 27:32.3.

Sophomore Reed Lawless (Kouts, Ind.) rounds out the VU top five with a time of 27:39.2.

Freshmen Elijah McCartney (Darlington, Ind.) and Sol O'Blenis (Amboy, Ind.) were close behind with a time of 28:20.5 for McCartney and 28:23.3 for O'Blenis.

Sophomore Trenton Faulkner (Wheatland, Ind.) and freshman Matthew Gray (Washington, Ind.) were next across the line with Faulkner ending at 28:42.2 and 29:04.9 for Gray.

Freshmen Brayden Green (Sumner, Ill.), Griffin Worzella (Martinsville, Ind.) and sophomore Kyle Baugh (Portage, Ind.) closed out the day for the Trailblazers with Green ending at 29:42.9, Worzella ending at 30:33.5 and Baugh finishing at 33:03.6.

"This was the best race of the season for both teams," VU Assistant Cross Country Coach Tyler Steigenga said. "It was a great tune-up before the National meet in two weeks."

"On the men's side, our top three did a great job leading us," Steigenga added. "Mathew had a fantastic finish to win the individual race by a tenth of a second. Isaac ran a four-second PR and Ernest made a big jump forward, running 22 seconds faster than his old PR."

"The women's team had four season best times," Steigenga said. "Today was our smallest meet of the season by far, with only three teams scoring. It was very different from the races we've been used to. It will be exciting to see what we can do at the National meet against some great competition on one of the best Cross Country courses in the Nation."

The Trailblazers will now begin their preparations for the NJCAA Division I National Championships in two weeks in Tallahassee, Fla. on Saturday, Nov. 12 and the NJCAA Half-Marathon Championships Tuesday, Nov. 15.

TEAM RESULTS

WOMEN'S RESULTS

DIVISION I

VINCENNES – 15

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

Brittany Page (7) – 20:59.9

Ada Peterman (9) – 21:12.4

Daisie Kinnett (10) – 21:14.7

Hope Laughlin (15) – 21:58.2

Makenna Pruett (18) – 22:54.8

MEN'S RESULTS

DIVISION I

VINCENNES – 15

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

Mathew Keitany (1) – 25:42.8

Isaac Stanford (6) – 26:18.5

Ernest Momodu (11) – 26:42.6

Ian Boit (13) – 27:32.3

Reed Lawless (15) – 27:39.2

Elijah McCartney (17) – 28:20.5

Sol O'Blenis (19) – 28:23.3

Trenton Faulkner (22) – 28:48.2

Matthew Gray (24) – 29:04.9

Brayden Green (28) – 29:42.9

Griffin Worzella (31) – 30:33.5

Kyle Baugh (36) – 33:03.6