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SPORTS
| October 31, 2003
Cross Country
Women could take SLC championship
The head coach says he is optimistic
the team will do well in its last fall meet.
By Britney
Tabor
The Shorthorn staff
Cross Country coach John Sauerhage says the women’s team is
capable of stealing the title from Stephen F. Austin next week.
The women and men will compete in the Southland Conference championships
on Monday at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville. This will
be the final meet of the regular fall season. Each team competed
in four tournaments this season.
“We’re not going down there to win second,” he
said. “We want to come away with the championship.”
The women finished in second place in the conference meet last year.
Stephen F. Austin finished first in both the men’s and women’s
divisions. The women will compete for the title at 9:30 a.m. and
run a 5,000-meter course.
The men will compete at 10:30 a.m. on an 8,000-meter course.
Senior Kajsa Haglund, who placed second in last year’s championship,
said the team will fight hard for the title. One thing keeping the
team strong is that it is solid, she said.
“Our goal is to win,” she said. “We have good
team spirit, and we’re running as a team instead of individuals.
That has helped us grow this season.”
Senior Lisa Haglund said she is nervous about the championship but
that she believes the team will do well.
Runners have become strong and close-knit this season, she said.
That closeness will improve the team’s chances at the title,
she said.
“People who may not have done well in the first meet have
improved with every meet,” she said. “We enjoy working
together, and that shows the fun we’re having as well as how
we are improving as a team.”
Sauerhage said the men have trained hard this season. He said the
team will place well but lacks the depth to win a championship.
At their best, Sauerhage said, the team could finish among the top
three.
“We’re counting on the men to step it up on Monday,”
he said. “The conference meet is our only time to judge how
well the season went.”
The men’s division finished third in last year’s championships.
Sam Houston State claimed second place.
Senior Eric Petersson remains positive about the meet. The team
is motivated as well as focused, he said, and that will enhance
its performance Monday.
“I think this will be our best meet so far,” Petersson
said. “I think we have a good atmosphere and harmony in the
group with everyone urging to be better. That’s of great importance
with a group that is pushing so that everyone will do better.”
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