Veterans headline Morningside season opener

When the dust had settled at Yankton Trails Park in Sioux Falls, S.D., Friday, Sept. 3, Morningside University head men's and women's cross country coach had one word on his mind.

Energy.

"We had a great amount of that from this group," he reflected. "The atmosphere was electric." 

Battling versus a top-flight multi-divisional field at Augustana University's Twilight, Mside had a pair of individuals nearly crack the first 50. For the women, senior Jo McKibben (Mapleton, Iowa) hit the finish line in 19:36.9 to be the fourth-highest placing Great Plains Athletic Conference field. Junior Kristine Honomichl (Westminster, Colo.) added her name to the women's top 70, taking 68^th (19:50.64) to guide the Mustangs to a 13^th-place effort in the team race. On the men's side, senior Ro Paschal's return to the program after a year away was memorable, as he raced to 21:06.21 as the team's best finisher (58^th). Senior Zach Ambrose (Dunlap, Iowa), another upperclassman, was also in the first 100, winding up 95^th in 21:47.61. Behind those outings, the Mustangs took 17^th with 524 points.

"Beyond those four, senior Garrett Hanson (Sioux City, Iowa), after an all-GPAC season in the steeplechase last spring, place his best as the third scorer for the men," Nash said. "Freshman transfer Taylor Sporrer (Logan, Iowa) showed great signs, too, as she was the women's third scorer. She's getting healthy, which will be a big bonus for us down the road."

"Overall, our season opener was the start of what we think will be a season to remember," he added.

The Mustangs are back in action at their home invitational Friday, Sept. 17. The course around the Adams Nature Preserve in Union County, S.D., will be the venue.