WMU News

Men's XC team wins Michigan Championships

Oct. 9, 1999

JONESVILLE, Mich. -- The Western Michigan men's cross country team claimed first place at the Michigan Championships Friday afternoon, posting a field-best team score of 40 points.

The event, hosted this year by Hillsdale College, featured 24 teams all located in the state of Michigan. The Broncos finished second at the meet last season.

Junior Damian Sherck posted his third top-five finish of the season by claiming second overall with a time of 25:17. The Elkhart. Ind., native has now been the squad's top finisher in each of the past six meets dating back to 1998. Sherck crossed the finish line nine seconds behind individual winner Blake McDowell of Eastern Michigan.

Classmate Matt Mayer was the next Bronco to conclude the 8,000-meter course, posting a mark of 25:49, which was good enough to earn the sixth position. Mayer now has three top-25 finishes in his possession this season. Despite earning a season-high time of 25:51, senior Mike Newkirk matched his personal-best finish of eighth place.

All-Mid-American Conference (1998 ) selection Matt Flachs, who had been struggling to regain is all-league form to this point in the year, finished right behind Newkirk with a season-best time of 25:51. Flachs claimed the ninth slot, placing four Broncos in the top 10.

All seven Bronco runners finished among the field's top-30 athletes. The 24 teams competing accounted for over 200 individuals.

Western Michigan returns to action next week at the Central Collegiate Conference Championships in Ann Arbor, Mich. The Broncos finished fifth at the event last year.

Team Results (Top 10 of 24)
1.  Western Michigan     40
2.  Eastern Michigan     47
3.  Central Michigan     81
4.  Siena Heights       142
5.  Hillsdale           164
6.  Wayne State         220
7.  Lake Superior State 262
8.  Aquinas             266
9.  Oakland             266
10. Kalamazoo           288

Media contact: Scott Kuykendall; 616 387-4125; scott.kuykendall@wmich.edu


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