Cross country heads to Portland for regionals

By Joe Doss-Antoun

The men's and women's cross country teams head to the Pacific Northwest this weekend for the NCAA West Regionals to close out their 2006 season.

Both Bronco teams will compete with roughly 30 other teams on Saturday at Blue Lake Park in Portland, Oregon.

Each team will send eight runners to the race. Seven will participate in the race while one runner acts as an alternate in case of injury.

The women will send freshmen Gillian Fitch and Annie Murphy-Hagan; sophomores Danielle Miller, Whitney Porter, Veronica Vazquez and Anna Wheatley and seniors Shannon Bell and Lauren Swigart.

As freshmen in 2003, both Swigart and Bell competed in the West Regionals, which were held at the same course as this year's race.

That year, Bell set the Bronco record for the best finish at regionals by placing 32nd overall. As a team, the women finished 13th, which was also Santa Clara's best finish.

"I remember liking the course a lot then so I'm hoping it will still be the same," said Bell.

Returning to a familiar course is not the only thing that Bell will look forward to this weekend. As a native of the area, Bell will be greeted by her family, who will make the trip down from Spokane, Washington to cheer her on.

"I'm really excited because it's Portland and I love the Northwest," said Bell. "My parents and sister are also coming down to watch so that should be fun."

In order to move on to nationals, runners will have to finish somewhere near the top 15.

Santa Clara will also look to get back at the opponents that finished ahead of the Broncos in the West Coast Conference Championship.

The men's team will send freshmen Alex Harkins and Stephen Koch; sophomores Mike Hannon and Dan Smith and juniors A.J. Blumel, Mike Delaurenti, Chris Furnari, and Chris Gumbs.

Of the eight runners, no one is currently running better than Chris Gumbs. After sitting out of the Santa Clara Invitational due to fatigue, Gumbs bounced back with a sixth overall finish at the WCC Championships, which earned him First Team All-WCC honors.

"I'm very confident right now. I'm peaking at exactly the time I wanted to and that makes me feel really good going into regionals," said Gumbs.

Hannon, Harkins, and Blumel also all finished in the top 20 at the WCC Championships.

"Coach said this is probably the strongest we've ever been at this point in a season," Gumbs said. "A lot of teams are usually not as strong at the very end of the season because they plan to peak, but they peak a little too early and aren't at their best at the end."

Gumbs and Hannon were the most successful at last year's regionals, but still hope to improve this year.

Contact Joe Doss-Antoun at (408) 551-1918 or jdossantoun@scu.edu.