Men's Cross Country `B' Unit Falls in Season Opener in Portland
Frosh Shane Ahlers finishes second overall to pace Ducks.

Sept. 13, 2002

PORTLAND, Ore. - The University of Oregon men's cross country team opened its season Friday as a 'B' squad of Duck freshmen fell to 'B' units from Portland, 22-34, and Portland State, 23-35, at Pier Park.

In the individual race, Portland senior Kevin Smith won the 7.6K race (24:31.5), edging Duck newcomer and Blackhawk S.D. native Shane Ahlers (second, 24:44) and Willamette's Nick Symmonds (24:49). Ahlers was the South Dakota state champion last season and also finished 14th in the Footlocker Midwest Regional Championships.

Other Duck finishers included redshirt frosh and Arlington, Va., native Will Viviani (eighth, 25:15), and true freshmen Ricky Scott of Newport (25th, 26:51), Collin Stark-Benz of Portland (26th, 26:55) and Ryan Flaherty of Bend (30th, 27:35).

Looking ahead, the Duck varsity men open their season with the Oregon women in the Roy Griak Invitational in St. Paul, Minn., Sat. Sept. 28. Those worried about at-large NCAA qualifying implications from Friday shouldn't worry since head-to-head meetings before Sept. 28 aren't considered by the NCAA committee.

In the preseason polls, the Duck varsity squad was ranked No. 9 in the national coaches preseason poll and Portland was tabbed No. 15. The two teams finished third and second, respectively in last year's NCAA Western Regional, then followed with 13th- and seventh-place NCAA finishes.

Two-time Duck All-American Jason Hartmann (Rockford, Mich.) is one of six of last year's seven NCAA men's entries that are back for the Duck varsity in 2002, along with juniors John Lucas (Eagle Point), Brett Holts (Bend) and Noel Paulson (Aumsville) and redshirt sophomores Eric Logsdon (Canby) and Ryan Andrus (Orem, Utah).

The Duck women return five of last year's top seven, a group that includes seniors Carrie Zografos (Portland) and Erinn Gulbrandsen (Chico, Calif.), juniors Laura Harmon (Vancouver, Wash.), Magdalena Sandoval (Los Alamos, N.M.) and Alicia Snyder-Carlson (Kihei, Hawai'i) and adds redshirt junior Eri Macdonald (Honolulu, Hawai'i), a two-time NCAA competitor who redshirted last season.

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FINAL RESULTS

Pier Park Invitational
Men's 7,600 meters, Women's 5,000 meters
Pier Park - Portland, Ore.
Friday, Sept. 13, 2002
Conditions: 90 degrees, humid

Men's Team Results - Portland 22, Oregon 34. Portland State 23, Oregon 35. Portland State 24, Portland 33.

Men's Individuals (7.6K) - 1, Kevin Smith, Portland, 24:31.5. 2, Shane Ahlers, Oregon, 24:44. 3, Nick Symmonds, Willamette, 24:49. 4, Evan Garich, Portland State, 24:54. 5, Chad Killian, Portland, 24:58. 6, Scott Overby, Willamette, 24:59. 7, Chris Hollis, Portland State, 25:00. 8, Will Viviani, Oregon, 25:15. 9, Aaron Hollingshead, Willamette, 25:27. 10, John Osborne, Willamette, 25:32.

Other Oregon Finishers - 25, Ricky Scott, 26:51. 26, Collin Stark-Benz, Oregon, 26:55. 30, Ryan Flaherty, Oregon, 27:35.

Women's Team Results - Portland 26, Portland State 31. Portland 17, Willamette 45. Portland State 17, Willamette 40.

Women's Individuals (W5K) - 1, Nicole Ricci, Portland, 18:29.8. 2, Allison Smith, Portland, 18:57. 3, Jenny Rodgers, Portland State, 19:01. 4, Annie Kawasaki, Portland State, 19:07. 5, Brynn Gogdill, Portland State, 19:22. 6, Hanna Coombe, Portland, 19:33. 7, Mandy Peterson, Portland State, 19:39. 8, Kari Holbert, Willamette, 19:47. 9, Jodi Minard, Portland, 19:53. 10, Kathy Rice, Portland, 19:57.

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Oregon Men's Cross Country


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