Johnson Leads Paladins At Furman Cross Country Invitational

Oct. 8, 2005

Greenville, S.C. - The Furman men's cross country team placed third and the Lady Paladins finished fifth at the 33rd Annual Furman Cross Country Invitational Saturday motning at the Furman University Golf Course.

Jacob Korrir of Eastern Kentucky finished first in a field of 173 runners and 23 teams with a time of 24:49 to give the Colonels team honors in the College Open men's 8K event. Senior Tyler Johnson of Furman placed second in 26:14 while EKU's Cornelius Kipkurui grabbed third place in 26:20. Following Eastern Kentucky in the team standings were Vrginia Intermont, Furman, Coastal Carolina and East Tennessee State.

Campbell University edged Eastern Kentucky and Clemson in the women's 5K event on the strength of three runners in the top four. Alicia Valtin took first place in 18:20. Allison Kreutzer of Clayton State finished second in 18:58, followed by Campbell's Jill Stapleton and Tara Dressler. Page Bridges, with a time of 19:49, led Furman's fifth place squad.

Hoover High School from Hoover, Ala., grabbed first in the 58-team varsity boys 5K field. Todd Smalling of Science Hill High garnered individual honors in 16:02 ahead of Aaron Kindt of Boone High School and Michael Winston of Parkview High School.

Hoover made it a sweep of the varsity high school races with a first place finish in the varsity girls 5K. Nicole and Kimberly Muldowney finished seventh and eighth, respectively, to lead the Hoover squad. Jackie Drouin of Collins Hill High School claimed first place in the varsuty girls race with a time of 18:51.

Parkview High School of Lilburn, Ga., swept honors in the junior varsity boys race. Josh Pinson of Parkview grabbed first and teammates Brett Richardson, J.J. Van Tonder and Brian Detweiler made it a sweep of the top four spots as Parkview topped Science Hill High.

Allison Reubert of Brookwood completed the junior varsity girls 5K race in 21:48 to take the top individual spot. Science Hill (68 points) edged Mauldin (68 points) on the strength of a 28th place finish by its sixth runner to garner team honors.

Furman's cross country teams return to action next weekend at the Winthrop Invitational in Rock Hill, S.C.