Mercy Chemutai
Salem, VA – The Fayetteville State University cross country teams opened their 2019 season with a women's sixth place finish in the Roanoke Invitational - ODAC Preview 6-kilometer race. The Broncos men's team finished 13
th. Sophomore
Mercy Chemutai led the way for the women with a time of 24:32.5 and 18 points. Freshman Joshua Alonzo scored 56 points in the 8-kilometer race with a time of 29:07.0.
The reigning two-time CIAA Champions had a solid performance in their first meet of the season with 191 points with an average 6K time of 26:02. Washington and Lee won the women's race with 34 points followed by Lynchburg (83) and Southern Virginia (126). A total of 19 teams participated in the meet with Fayetteville State having the best HBCU performance. Fellow CIAA members Livingstone finished 13
th with Shaw trailing at 14
th and St. Augustine's at 16
th.
Two years removed CIAA Women's XC Runner of the Year
Aleena Cruz (Raleigh, NC) crossed in the 27
th position for 24 points in a time of 25 minutes and 10.9 seconds. She had an average mile of 6:45.1, which was 11 seconds behind the Broncos lead runner Chemutai (6:34.8 averaged mile).
Carisha Leonard scored 38 points with a 25:59.5 time and
Sierra Beasley had a time of 26:46.3 for score of 49 points.
Charisma McKoy rounded out the scoring spots with 62 points as she finished 69
th in a 6K time of 27:39.
The Men's team was 13-out-of-18 schools competing in the 8K race. The Broncos had an averaged 31:11 8-kilometer time and finished with 398 points. Washington and Lee won the meet and FSU finished above Randolph (401), Bluefield State (432), Hampden-Sydney (458), Guilford (462), and Livingstone (479).
Behind Alonzo's 5:51.4 average mile was Charles Pumba (Raleigh, NC), who crossed the finish line in the 80
th position for 62 points in a time of 29:25. Pumba mile averaged out at 5:55.
Tresor Dlan finished in a time of 30:37.2 for 76 points and
Jaylaan Poe score 94 points with a 32:35.4 8K. Joshua Broetjes closed out the Broncos scoring with 110 points (34:12.8).
Fayetteville State will compete this Friday, September 20
th at the NC State Adidas Challenge on the WakeMed Soccer Park Cross Country Course. Races will begin around 6 p.m.
