BOONE, N.C. — Youth was served at the Sun Belt Conference Cross Country Championships.
With five freshmen among its top seven runners, Appalachian State's young men's team won a conference title on its home course Saturday morning. The Mountaineers totaled 70 points in an extremely tight race to edge second-place UT Arlington, which had 73 points. Texas State was third with 75.
Competing on the State Farm Fields/Kennedy Trails Course in Boone, coach
Michael Curcio's squad captured its first Sun Belt men's cross country title.
Evan Georges, a junior, led the team with an 8K time of 25:18.8 to finish fifth and earn First Team All-Sun Belt honors.
App State freshman
Gable Dershem was eighth in a personal-best 25:24.3, leading to a Second Team-All Sun Belt honor.
Freshman
Ian Foley was 16th in 25:51.5.
Collin Loy, a junior, and freshman
Michael Flanagan crossed in 20th and 21st, respectively, with times of 26:03.7 and 26:04.2 to round out the scoring.
Two more freshmen,
Luke Bennett and
Ben Cignarale, were 43rd and 44th, respectively, with times of 27:12.9 and 27:14.0 to help App State's men win their first league title since taking first at the Southern Conference Championships in 2012.
"Going into the men's race, we weren't expecting a lot," said Curcio. "Right in the middle of the race, they just executed everything we talked about. I couldn't ask for a more perfect race from that group of guys."
For his efforts, Curcio was also named Sun Belt Coach of the Year.
The Mountaineers will compete again on Nov. 4 at the Three Stripe Invitational in Cary, N.C., before heading to Charlottesville, Va., on Nov. 10 to take part in the Southeast Regional.
Team Standings
1. Appalachian State - 70
2. UT Arlington - 73
3. Texas State - 75
4. South Alabama - 113
5. Louisiana - 113
6. Troy - 125
7. Coastal Carolina - 169
8. Arkansas State - 199
9. Little Rock - 201
10. UL Monroe - 231
