Friday Features: Consistency leads Union to XC Nationals again

Friday Features: Consistency leads Union to XC Nationals again

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By Maurice Patton

           
Gary Johnson, Union’s veteran women’s cross country coach, wasn’t surprised when his Lady Bulldogs placed third at the recent Gulf South Conference championship meet last month.
           
Nor was he shocked when the team finished third at the NCAA Division II South Region championships two weeks later – ahead of GSC rivals West Alabama and Lee, who placed first and second at the earlier event.
           
“I think at different points this year, Lee, West Alabama and our girls could all beat each other, depending on who ran their best,” Johnson said as the Lady Bulldogs prepared for their second straight DII national meet. “We raced West Alabama four times and we won three of them. Lee, we ran against three times and they won twice.
           
“I think we handled the heat and the distance (at the South Region), which seemed to favor our team over those two. The Conference meet was cooler and on a fast course, which favored West Alabama’s style. We had things go our way on the right day. If we all raced again, we might win. Who knows?”
           
November 7 at St. Leo University outside of Tampa, Fla., was indeed the right day for Union as the top three teams advance to nationals and the Lady Bulldogs placed behind Tampa and St. Leo on the 6K course.
           
The event was perhaps more of a testament to Union’s depth – following the team’s season-long blueprint – than its speed, with Abby Berends running a 22:43 to place eighth and lead the Lady Bulldogs. All five scoring runners for Union placed in the top 30.
           
“That’s the strength of our team,” Johnson said.
           
Behind Abby, her sister Janey Berends ran a 23:06 for 13th, followed by Amy McKelvey (23:34, 20th), BethAnne Davis (23:55, 29th), Lindsey Jakeman (24:07, 33rd), Sarah Fickley (24:29, 43rd) and Julia Berends (27:05, 93rd).
           
“Abby and Janey have been running very well,” Johnson said regarding the two siblings, who are two-thirds of a set of triplets. “Abby ran what would be the equivalent of the best time of her college career, and Janey was right there with her. They’re pretty competitive with each other. Janey finished higher at the conference, Abby at the region.
           
“There’s that internal competition within our team, but they realize they have to race the other teams harder than they race each other. But they’ve been our top two runners most of the season. Behind them, we’ve got four more girls that may finish in any order. Amy was third at the region and sixth at the conference. It just depends on who’s having their best day, feeling the best, responding to the pressure or the stress of the race.”
           
Janey Berends placed sixth at the GSC meet, the only top-10 finisher for Union at the event and the only Lady Bulldog to earn first-team all-conference honors. Abby Berends (11th), Davis (16th), Fickley (18th) and Jakeman (19th) were all named second-teamers. Both Berends sisters and McKelvey were named all-South Region following their Top 20 performances in Florida, marking the second such honors for the sisters in as many years.
           
“We were clearly the third team in the (conference) pecking order, but I told the girls, when we run well, we’re as good as they are,” Johnson said. “I don’t want to take anything away from what our girls did. I don’t think (West Alabama and Lee) had perfect days, and that certainly helped us. But I think we prepped really well, and we had a strategy not to crest too early. As those teams started to fatigue, the race came to us.”
           
In Johnson’s honest assessment, the South Region performance will be the season highlight for his squad, even as the trip to the national competition in Joplin, Mo., looms next weekend.
           
“The South region is not nationally competitive, and we’re at the bottom of the South region,” he said. “I’d love to believe one day we have a chance of winning or placing, but right now, it’s an accomplishment to qualify and get there.
           
“The girls have a great perspective. We want to do the best we can and represent Union well and represent Christ. We’re not going to win a national championship, but hopefully we do those other things and that makes an impact on the other teams.”

Follow Patton on Twitter at: @mopatton_sports. E-mail comments to: mopattonsports@gmail.com.

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