Elsah, ILL. – Principia College was excited to host its annual home cross-country meet, the Cowbell Classic, and to unveil its new course. The race combined elements of the traditional Cowbell course with the best features of Principia's new championship course. Both men and women ran a 5-kilometer race with hay bales to jump at every mile. It was a sunny, blue-sky day.
The women started at 4PM with six teams on the line. The course led them across an open field and veered them into the old Cowbell course. At the back end of the old loop, the racers fought their way up a long, steep hill only to run right back down to turn into the last section of the old loop. Principia's
Sarah Litwiller took the lead early on and kept it as the runners entered the new parts of the course. The women wound their way up and down gentle switchbacks that popped them out onto the open field in which they started. On the last stretch,
Sarah Litwiller picked up the pace slightly and finished in first with a time of 19:33.13, a new course record.
Emily Osborne and
Haley Morton were not far behind finishing in 20:13 and 21:50 respectively.
Kyla Pelletier and
Shontee Pant came in soon after and
Aubrey McMullin had a strong race coming in as the team's sixth runner. The women took first with a score of 22 points.
The men were excited to get running as the gun went off 40 minutes after the women. They headed into the same 5-kilometer course that the women had just run. With a few more runners, the first turn was a little more crowded as they headed into the big loop. The men also put up a good fight when it came to the big hill in back. Then the downhill propelled them onward. Some of the more dedicated fans that made their way out to the back parts of the loop cheered Principia and other teams on as they crossed into the new loop. Principia tried to stay packed up as they made their way to the finish. Senior
Wylie Mangelsdorf surged on the last straightaway and finished in 16:06, also a new course record.
Adam Rolph and
Derrick Fleming had similarly strong finishes coming in second and third place respectively.
Nate Richards and
Shane Witters Hicks were next in for Principia followed by Kynan Witters Hicks and
Garrett Fielding.
Gavin Goodsell fought hard and had a good finish on the last straightaway, as did
Gabe Korinek and
Andy Crump. The men also finished first with a score of 19.
Afterwards all the teams gathered in the shade of a big tent and ate pie (Cowbell's entry fee) while the top 15 men and women finishers received awards. It was a great day overall and Principia looks forward to it's meet next week. Part of the team will be in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and part will be in Springfield, Illinois.
