Final Results

HAMILTON – It's now a tradition at Colgate. Win a Patriot League individual cross country championship, and you've got to repeat.

Raiders senior harrier Chris Johnson did just that Saturday, joining former Colgate star Ray Appenheimer as a two-time conference champion when he covered the Harry Lang 8K home course in 25 minutes and 11 seconds.

Johnson won this year's Patriot League crown in comfortable fashion, defeating second-place runner Mark Allen of American by more than 17 seconds. Bucknell's John Dugan was third, followed by a pair of Lehigh runners in Jimmy Miller and Ryan Mahalsky as the Mountain Hawks claimed the team championship.

“It feels good,” Johnson said. “I did it last year and it was awesome. It is just as good this year in front of the home fans. It's been a goal (to repeat as champ), but there are some very talented runners. I executed my plan very well and separated when I wanted to and used the home field advantage to pull away.”

Head coach Arthur McKinnon saw his Raiders finish sixth as a team with 130 points. Timothy Phelps came home in 19th place, with Ben Aldrich scoring 30 points, Michael McConville 38 and Eric Moore 42 to close out the Colgate point total. Christopher Wendt and Christopher Noda finished with 44 and 48 points, respectively, for the Raiders, while Cody Hawkins came home in 66th place, James Paris was 70th, Harry Englehart was 73rd and Richard Cummings 74th.

McKinnon knew the expectations on Johnson to repeat would make this year's race that much more difficult for his senior captain.

“Last year he was somewhat unknown and it was a great surprise,” McKinnon said. “Today, the Lehigh team really went out and took to Navy, and went hard, which helped Chris settle in to the faster pace.”

Three Strategies
McKinnon said he and Johnson mapped out three different strategies for Saturday's race, depending on how things were progressing. Johnson was running with the pack until about the halfway point, when he started to make his move. McKinnon said that was probably Plan C depending on who was with him.

“Chris is great; he is a smart young man and he is great at being given multiple plans and executing the right one,” McKinnon said. “I can give him strategies and he can execute. A lot of times, guys have a way that they race and that's it. It's been fun with Chris.

“I've had four runners at the NCAA Championships and Chris has to be among the top two because he is so much more than just an athlete. He is on our leadership program here at Colgate and he volunteers at the elementary school. He's a true champion.”


Appenheimer won the 1992 and 1993 Patriot League Championships, the only other time a Colgate runner has claimed the top prize.

Lehigh edged Navy 54-56 for the team championship to end the Midshipmen's four-year hold on the title. American was third with 74 points, followed by Army with 83, Bucknell with 120 and Colgate with 130.

“I am so proud of these guys,” Lehigh head coach Todd Etters said. “We had our fifth guy pass out about 25 meters from the finish line and had another guy step up and do it. It was great to see.

“To finally to get over the hump feels good. They're a great team. You don't win four years in a row and not be a great team. They certainly scared us but it feels good today.”

Etters also recognized Johnson on his individual win for Colgate.

“No surprise that Chris Johnson won,” Etters said. “He is a great runner and a beast, so we figured he would take it.”

The NCAA Regionals take place Nov. 9 in Madison, Conn.

TEAM STANDINGS
1. Lehigh         54
2. Navy           56
3. American       74
4. Army           83
5. Bucknell      120
6. COLGATE       130
7. Holy Cross    198
8. Lafayette     245

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
(All-Patriot League First Team)
1. Chris Johnson, COLGATE     25:11.0
2. Mark Allen, American       25:28.4
3. John Dugan, Bucknell       25:39.4
4. Jimmy Miller, Lehigh       25:41.3
5. Ryan Mahalsky, Lehigh      25:42.8
6. John Sweeney, Navy         25:46.2
7. Tyler Mueller, Lehigh      25:47.1

(All-Patriot League Second Team)
8.  Christopher Galvin, Navy  25:51.1
9.  Ricardo Galindo, Army     25:54.2
10. Robert Patterson, Navy    25:55.5
11. Nick Reagan, American     25:57.0
12. Sam Bernitt, Lehigh       25:57.2
13. Mark Leininger, American  26:03.9
14. Kendall Ward, Army        26:06.1

COLGATE RUNNERS
1.  Chris Johnson             25:11.0
19. Timothy Phelps            26:17.0
33. (30) Ben Aldrich          26:38.4
45. (38) Michael McConville   27:07.9
56. (42) Eric Moore           27:42.1
59. (44) Christopher Wendt    27:48.5
63. (48) Christopher Noda     28:25.6
66. Cody Hawkins              28:45.4
70. James Paris               29:21.2
73. Harry Englehart           29:57.5
74. Richard Cummings          29:59.7