Runners Brave Tough Conditions In Chicago

Saturday, October 01, 2011

CHICAGO, Ill. – Albion College’s top five women’s runners nearly finished the Sean Earl Loyola Lakefront Invitational in less than 20 minutes despite less than ideal conditions. Running on a chilly and windy day that felt more like November, Lauren Kettle (Milford) posted a time of 18:47, and she was followed by Amanda Weaver (Marshall) at 19:11, Rachel Derocher (White Lake/Holly) at 19:49, and Victoria Sochor (Portland) at 19:51.

Kettle was the 58th runner to reach the finish line, an outstanding figure considering there were 538 women entered. Weaver also finished in the top 20 percent of the field by finishing 95th.

Albion Coach Hayden Smith, ’70, said it was Derocher’s first sub-20 minute run at any level and that lifted the Britons to 16th place in a field of nearly 60 teams.

The Britons’ No. 5 runner – Megan Wickens (Livonia/Franklin) – was just seven seconds from reaching the magical 20-minute milestone.

Mitchell Klingler (Bronson/Coldwater) and Deion Pruitt (Ann Arbor/Huron) lifted the men to 15th place out of 49 teams, and Smith believes the Britons were the third-best Division III squad in the field. Klinger was the 52nd runner to finish (26:09), and Pruitt was three seconds behind in 55th place.

Matt Melvin (Bangor) finished just outside the first 100 runners, completing the course in 26:46. Drew Fuentes (Grand Junction/Bangor) and Evan Smallman (Milford) were the fourth and fifth runners with times of 26:56 and 27:18.