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» WOMEN'S RESULTS

ALMA, Mich. - More than 50 teams competed in the NCAA Regional run at Alma College Saturday, Nov. 13. Of those teams only the top two men's and women's teams advance to the NCAA DIII Championships in Eau Claire, Wis. next weekend. The Britons, while not cracking the top two spots, still ran well as Albion finished sixth in the men's race and the women were 16th. 

The women's 16th place finish bettered the 20th place showing last year at the regional meet while the men will not return to nationals were they were the 18th place team last season. In 2003 the Briton men were the second place team at the regional competition.

The Albion men notched three all-region performances as the Britons had three runners inside the top-35, running to a team score of 181. Senior Taurean Wilson (Albion/Albion) was 17th overall with a time of 25:11. Next was freshman Clark Richter (Rockford/Rockford) who crossed 29th in a time of 25:31. The third all-region performer senior was Adam Dohm (Cassopolis/Dowagiac Union) who overcame a hamstring injury to place 31st overall with a time of 25:38.

The fourth Albion runner to cross the finish line was sophomore Noah Lopez (Dearborn/Edsel Ford) who 37th with a time of 25:45. Junior Jay Puffpaff (Ithaca/Ithaca) was 67th with a time of 26:24.

Rounding out the seven participants for the Britons were sophomore Adam Darany (Dearborn/Detroit Catholic Central) and freshman Forrest Hutchins (Indianapolis, Ind./North Central). Darany was 72nd with a time of 26:34 while Hutchins was 73rd, just one second back of Darany, with a time of 26:35.

"Today was a solid race, but to qualify for nationals we needed a great race," said Albion head coach Hayden Smith. "We fought hard, but we came up just a bit short."

The Albion women continued their steady improvement, finishing with a score of 406. The Britons 16th place finish was the highest in the under the four-year tutelage of coach Smith.

Leading the way for the Britons were sophomore Alyson Howe (Plainwell/Plainwell) and freshman Megan Fitzpatrick (Marshall/Marshall). Howe was 50th with a time of 23:15 while Fitzpatrick was 66th, crossing at 23:33.

Freshman Jade Seelye (Hersey/Reed City) was 85th with a time of 24:00 while junior Deanna Babcock (Tawas City/Tawas Area) was 101st with a time of 24:22. Rounding out the top five was senior Loan Portlance (Clinton Township/L'Anse Creuse) who crossed in 24:27, good enough for 104th place.

Rounding out the top seven runners for the Britons were junior Jennie Kamer (Fort Gratiot/Port Huron Northern)  and sophomore Heather Johnston (Macomb/Dakota). Kamer was 128th with a time of 24:55 while Johnston was 137th with a time of 25:08

"This is the best finish for the women in my four years of coaching at Albion," said Smith. "This really gives us something good to build on."

Updated November 13, 2004 by Albion College Sports Information