Yellowjacket Cross-Country Teams Face Test at Rocky Mountain Shootout (Oct. 1, 2003)

BILLINGS, MT – After a strong first half of the 2003 season, the MSU Billings cross-country teams will face their toughest challenge this weekend when they travel to Boulder, Colorado for the Rocky Mountain Shootout hosted by the University of Colorado.

“This meet is the premier event in the Rocky Mountain West,” said Yellowjacket coach Dave Coppock.  “It draws around 15 men’s and women’s teams and features numerous nationally- and regionally-ranked teams from Divisions I and II.  Host Colorado is ranked third nationally for women and sixth for men.  Western State is the top-ranked DII team for men and second-ranked for women.  It’s a good chance to see how we stack up within our division and help prepare us for the West Regional Championships in November.”

The Yellowjacket women’s team won the Dickinson State Invitational last weekend behind a first-place finish from Chelsea Lynnes (Jr., Miles City, MT).  Lynnes covered the 3.1-mile course in 20:21, 17 seconds ahead of the second place finisher.  The Yellowjackets’ next four runners finished within 1:34 of each other, claiming 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, and 9^th places.  Anjel Hoff (Sr., Billings, MT) took home 5^th place in 20:50, followed by Tiffany Piplica (Fr., Riverton, WY) in 21:44, Tracy Overberg (So., Dodson, MT) in 21:56 and Raquel McCarthy (Jr., Butte, MT) in 22:24.

The Yellowjacket men captured places 9-12 with only 35 second separating the pack of four runners.  Joe Kragt (Fr., Billings, MT) led the Yellowjackets for the first time this season with a 5-mile time of 28:54.  He was followed by Sam Hartpence (So., Custer, SD) in 29:08, Scott Brown (So., Billings, MT) in 29:17, and Ryan Archibald (Jr., Missoula, MT) in 29:29.

“The course this weekend is very challenging,” said Coppock.  “In the middle of the course there is a large hill that both men and women have to run twice.  Adding to the difficulty is a course elevation of about 5,400 feet, and we’re the only team showing up from below 5,000 feet.  Despite the challenges, it’s a great event—highly competitive and well-attended—and it will help move the team up a level.”