Bridgewater State Claims 2019 MASCAC Men's Cross Country Championship
For the first time since 2012, the Bridgewater State Bears are the MASCAC Men's Cross Country Champions after racing at the conference championship at Moore State Park in Paxton, Mass.
For the first time since 2012, the Bridgewater State Bears are the MASCAC Men's Cross Country Champions after racing at the conference championship at Moore State Park in Paxton, Mass.
The Bears finished first with 37 points while Westfield State edged out Worcester State for second place with 60 points to the Lancers 61. Fitchburg State was next in fourth with 73 while Framingham State and Massachusetts Maritime rounded out the teams in fifth and sixth with 134 and 189 points, respectively.
Trevor Wysong led the way for Bridgewater State as the top individual finisher with an 8k time of 25:56, almost two minutes faster than the next competitor to earn 2019 MASCAC Men's Cross Country Runner of the Year honors. Joining him on the All-Conference squad as a top 10 finisher was teammate Mike Hutchinson in second with a time of 27:32 and Josh Higgins in fifth with a time of 27:55.
For Westfield State, Jack Merck was the team's top finisher in ninth place with an 8k time of 28:03 which earned him not only All-Conference accolades but also the 2019 MASCAC Rookie of the Year, as the top overall first time performer. Right behind in 10th was Zac Bentley who crossed the line in 28:16.
The Lancers had three runners in the top 10 to help them to a third place finish. Andrew Fottler, the 2018 MASCAC Rookie of the Year, was their top racer with a time of 27:39, good enough for third place. Teammates Wayne Carey and Patrick Carleton came in sixth and eighth, respectively with a time of 27:59 and 28:02.
Rounding out the All-Conference honorees are Jacob Movsessian and Tim Sheehy from Fitchburg State. Movsessian came in with an 8k time of 27:46 for fourth place while Sheehy crossed the line in 28:01 for seventh place.
After leading the Bears to the men's title, Connor Foley of Bridgewater State was voted by his fellow coaches as the 2019 Champion's Choice Coach of the Year.
Up next for the men's cross country teams is a week off before heading to the Division III New England Championships hosted by Bowdoin College on November 16.