The CSUSM men’s cross-country team entered Saturday’s Region II Championships ranked third in the region – but they left as the top team.

 

The event was hosted by Fresno Pacific University, and featured the 11 teams in the region.  CSUSM’s squad won it handily, 26 points clear of second-place Concordia, and 28 ahead of third-place Azusa Pacific.  Currently, those two schools are ranked 4^th and 6^th  in the nation, respectively.  CSUSM currently sits at 7^th in the nation – a ranking that will surely improve after Saturday’s performance.  Azusa Pacific’s Aron Rono won the individual title, running 23:51.

 

With Mike Crouch, CSUSM’s #2 runner entering the season, out with an injury, every runner on Coach Steve Scott’s squad needed to step up.  They did, and it started at the top. 

 

Senior star runners Juan Mejia and Sergio Gonzalez continued what has been an outstanding year for both of them.  Mejia was the top Cougar finisher, placing 3^rd with a time of 24:50.  As usual, Gonzalez was only seconds behind.  He ran 24:55, finishing 4^th.

 

While excellent performances from those two have become commonplace, CSUSM got a boost from an unexpected source.  Sean Brosnan, a transfer who has generally finished outside the team’s top-5 this season, ran 25:31.  His 12^th place finish was key to the Cougars’ team victory.

 

Rounding out the squad’s top-five were freshmen Alex Guaderama and Patrick Fitzgerald.  Guaderama ran 26:07, and Fitzgerald ran 26:09.  While their 24^th and 25^th place finishes are not flashy, they were important to the win.  Also competing for CSUSM were Tony Guadagnini (40^th) and Kyle Fox (50^th).

 

The improbable win gives Coach Scott’s squad plenty of momentum headed into Nationals in two weeks.  That race will take place in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Saturday, November 17^th.