Miami University
Dayton Flyer 5K Challenge
RedHawks Begin 2010 With Victory at Flyer 5K
9/4/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
Sept. 4, 2010
KETTERING, Ohio - The Miami University men's cross country team opened its 2010 season in convincing fashion, winning the Dayton Flyer 5K Challenge Saturday morning at Indian Riffle Park. The RedHawks won the meet for the sixth time in seven years, after the host Flyers won the event in 2009.
Miami finished with 28 points to claim the title as six `Hawks finished in the top 11 while Dayton took second with 34 points. Sophomore Jarrod Eick (Hartville, Ohio) placed third overall in 15:14 to lead the way while senior Robbie Fisher (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.) took fourth in 15:17 and redshirt sophomore David Eichenberger (Plainfield, Ind.) crossed in fifth less than a second later, as the two ran side-by-side much of the race.
Rounding out the scoring five for Miami was senior Michael Perry (Cincinnati, Ohio) in seventh in 15:20 and redshirt freshman Blake Dircksen (Noblesville, Ind.), who crossed the line in 10th in 15:26. Fellow redshirt freshman Matt Marol (Evanston, Ill.) was just behind Dircksen in 11th less than a second later while true freshman Dave Wing (Naperville, Ill.) took 15th in his first race as a RedHawk.
"The guys were very patient and ran their race plan. We had a couple guys that were together the whole time," head coach Warren Mandrell said. "They were in the 20s, then ran into the 10s over the last mile and a half and the race slowed down and they just worked their way through the field."
Dayton's Chris and Matt Lemon claimed the top two spots individually, as Chris was first in 14:45 and Matt was second in 15:01. IUPUI took third among Division I schools with 85 points while Wright State was fourth and Morehead State finished fifth.
"It was nice that it was cool today and nearly everyone ran a personal best," Mandrell added. "I was very pleased with our performance."
Miami returns to action next Saturday when the RedHawks host the Miami Invitational at 10 a.m. on Miami's Western Campus. It will be the team's first home meet since 2006.
--MURedHawks.com--
