LINCOLN, Neb. – Hitting the trails for the first time in two weeks, the Cloud County cross country teams would turn in strong showings with the men winning the College Division of the 2019 Woody Greeno/Jay Dirksen Cross Country Invitational at Mahoney Golf Course in Lincoln, Nebraska on Saturday, September 21st.
Cloud County would have Kya Johnson run as an individual entry on the women’s side, posting a time of 20:30.50 on the 5,000-meter course while competing against NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA, and NJCAA competition.
Despite finishing fifth overall in the team race, the T-Birds finished as the top team in the college division (all schools excluding NCAA Division I) with 155 total points, just two points back of fourth place Air Force. The point total for CCCC would be 19 points better than Iowa Central Community College who finished in sixth as both squads were ranked in the top three of this week’s USTFCCCA NJCAA Division I Cross Country poll.
Individually, Dais Malebana posted the second-best time of the day with a time of 24:40.0 on the 8,000-meter course while Kwanele Mthembu finished with a time of 25:21.90 (12th). Gabriel Chinya took 42nd overall with a time of 26:01.70 while teammate Saba Khvichava placed 44th with a time of 26:06. Habtamu Geta finished off the T-Bird’s team score by placing 55th with a time of 26:22.10 as all five runners finished in the top eight amongst NJCAA runners.
What’s Next?
Cloud County is scheduled to compete in the Emporia State University Hornet Invitational on Friday in Emporia, Kan. The meet, which will take place at Jones Park in Emporia, will start at 5:15 p.m. with the women’s 5K while the men will run an 8K beginning at 6 p.m.