Marietta's women place second and men tie for sixth at Don Carthcart Invitational
Robertson and Mickle once again lead Pioneers across the line

Sept. 27, 2008
SALISBURY, Maryland — The Marietta College cross country team headed to Salisbury (Md.) College Saturday (Sept. 27) morning to compete in the Don Carthcart Invitational. The Pioneers made the most of their trip by taking second place in the women’s competition and tying for sixth place in the men’s competition.

Marietta’s women placed three runners in the top 20 en route to collecting 98 points. NCAA Division II Kutztown (Pa.) University won the event with 30 points. The University of Mary Washington (Va.) took third with 124 points, while host Salisbury came in fourth place with 137 points. Marietta’s men had three runners finish in the top 50 in Saturday’s eight-kilometer competition, which was won by East Stroudsburg (Pa.) University with 46 points. Host Salisbury took second with 53 points and Mary Washington third with 82 points. Marietta tied for fourth with Roanoke (Va.) College as both compiled 181 points.

Junior standout Randi Robertson (Avon Lake) led Marietta with a seventh place finish, covering the six kilometer course in 22:40, less than one minute off the overall winner, which was Mary Washington’s Hayley Sullivan, who ran 21:36. Freshman Jennifer Emmert (Martinsburg, W.Va.) was the second Pioneer to cross the line; she took 17th place with a time of 23:42. Junior Kaity Smith (Essex Junction, Vt.) was right behind her in 19th place, finishing in 23:47. Junior Shannon McDonald (Lorain/Amherst Steele), who placed 30th with a time of 24:13, was the fourth Marietta runner to finish. Freshman Reba Leonard (Brookville) completed the scoring by placing 32nd. She finished the course in 24:15. Senior Jesse Larrison (Batavia) (77th/26:06), junior Brenda Puckett (88th/26:35), freshman Samantha Plajer (Atwater) (91st/26:49), freshman Paige Bucher (Cardington) (101st/27:47), junior Logan Wern (North Canton/Hoover) (104th/27:52) and freshman Julie Rutter (The Plains) (130th/31:13) rounded out the competitors for Marietta.

Junior Josh Mickle (Madison) once again led Marietta’s finishers by taking eighth overall. He crossed the line in 26:49, less than one minute behind winner Zack Dickerson from Salisbury, who finished the race in 26:06. Junior Cody Thomas (North Olmsted) finished second for the Pioneers, taking 38th overall after completing the course in 27:51. Senior Joseph Wynes (East Aurora, N.Y.) was the third Marietta runner to finish; he took 49th place with a time of 28:10. Freshman Terrance Wallace (Westerville) placed fourth for the Pioneers, finishing 56th overall with a time of 28:31. Sophomore Max Kenngott (Akron/St. Vincent-St. Mary) capped the scoring with a 76th place finish with a time of 29:28. Junior Louie D’Amico (81st/29:38), junior Kent Reiber (Avon Lake) (88th/29:57), junior Kevin Hazlett (Akron/St. Vincent-St. Mary) (112th/32:14), freshman Adam Null (Davisville, W.Va./Parkersburg) (117th/32:46) and freshman Josh Billman (131st/37:47) also competed in the event for Marietta.

The Pioneers now turn their attention to the All-Ohio Championships, which will take place on Friday (Oct. 10) afternoon in Delaware, Ohio. The event will be hosted by Ohio Wesleyan University and begins at 2 p.m.