On Saturday, the men’s cross country team lined up at the Pre-National meet in Terre Haute, Ind. against 24 of the top 30 teams in the nation for their first true test of the season. The men would ace that test, placing 10th overall, even without the help of redshirt senior Gavin Coombs.
“I thought we didn’t really run the race we wanted to run, but everything considered, I think it was a pretty good finish,” redshirt junior John Martinez said.
Nonetheless, Martinez realizes the importance of having everyone healthy and ready to run.
“It was big not having Gavin there,” he said. “He could’ve been our first or second or third guy. That probably would’ve helped us with upwards of a hundred or more points.”
Sixth-year runner Bobby Mack, who just recently returned to running with the Wolfpack, finished first for N.C. State, running the 8k course in a time of 24:06.6. Mack, who decided to rejoin the team upon being granted a sixth-year of eligibility by the NCAA, was running for the Pack for the first time in over 13 months.
“The game plan was for me and Bobby to run together right behind the lead group, but when the race started off Bobby went out to the front,” Martinez said.
Martinez realizes that since Mack had not run in a high-caliber race like this in so long, he might have been more eager to jump out in front.
“He ended up taking the lead, and I was going to let him go, but the plan was for me and him to run together, so I decided to bite the bullet and run with him,” Martinez said. “He and I ran together as one and two for the first two and a half miles before getting passed by the lead group.”
Mack went on to finish 22nd in the Blue race out of the 276-man field, just 2.2 seconds ahead of Martinez (26th).
“Having Gavin there definitely would’ve stabilized our team a little more with the core of us three up near the front.”
The remaining three scorers for State included freshman Ryan Hill (59th, 24:33.4), redshirt freshman Andrew North (116th, 25:04.0) and redshirt freshman Bobby Moldovan (142nd, 25:12.1). These freshmen make up what has been considered one of the youngest Wolfpack cross country teams in recent history.
“I think Ryan Hill ran great,” Martinez said. “His last mile was faster than anyone else on our team for sure. Andrew North also ran really well by dropping a big [personal record]. It was definitely good to see the two of them run the way they did.”
The women’s team, comprised of all freshmen and redshirt freshmen, finished 32nd overall in the Blue race.
“For such a young team, I’m proud of how we did,” freshman Emily Pritt said. “We did well in our first 6k. We could’ve done better, but we did the best we could having six inexperienced freshmen.”
Pritt would lead all State runners, finishing 61st with a time of 21:23.8, followed by freshman Caroline Kirby (148th, 22:21.1.) Colleen Wetherbee, Bona Jones, Kara McKenna and Brittany Tinsley did not compete in the event for the Pack. Wetherbee ran unattached in the Blue Ridge Open during the weekend to preserve her eligibility for the remainder of the year.
“Brittany and Bona are the only 100-percent decisions to redshirt at this point,” Coach Laurie Henes said last Tuesday. “The freshmen understand this. Those four years of eligibility really are precious. We just want to make sure we’re giving everybody the best opportunity to compete at a high level.”
