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| 71st Annual Cowboy Jamboree
"Oldest Consecutive XC Race in the US"
Saturday September 29, 2007
Oklahoma State U course, Stillwater, OK
DyeStat on-site coverage with John Sullivan
Weather forecast for 11AM: 75 degrees, partly cloudy, winds 14 mph
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SO#2/US#20 Rogers AR boys repeat, SO#6 A&M TX girls strike gold
Rick Elliott and Sara Vaughn top strong fields |
- Highlights - Results - Photo Page - new Race Report -
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Kickapoo MO sr Rick Elliott led through mile 1 and 2, but was passed by Rogers AR sr Aaron Hamilton who built a nice lead heading into the homestretch. Then Elliott dug deep, nipping Hamilton at the line as both clocked 16:00 for this tough 5k course. Sapulpa sr Cordell Baker took the bronze in 16:04.
- SO#2/US#20 Rogers AR boys were out fast and in command at the mile. Running without their usual #2, they scored an impressive 71 points with a 16:47 average. HL#6 Lee’s Summit West MO waged a battle with Tulsa Union OK, prevailing 95-97. Kickapoo MO finished 4th with 104.
- Tulsa Union sr Sara Vaughn successfully defended her title, using a strong 2nd mile to cruise home in 11:31. Westmoore jr Katelin Cherry equaled her silver medal performance from last year, clocking 11:40, while holding off Edmond North sr Erin Watson in 11:42.
- SO#6 A&M Consolidated TX girls were out early and dominating at the mile mark of this 2-lap race. They spread out a bit on the second go-round, but still won comfortably with 79 points and a 12:08 average. Lee’s Summit West MO was next with 102, matching their boy’s runner-up finish. Edmond North claimed bronze with 116, followed by Kickapoo MO with 123 and Bentonville AR with 135.
RACE REPORT:
It was a great day for running at the 71st Annual Cowboy Jamboree, the “longest consecutive cross country race in the U.S.”. The weather cooperated, with sunny skies, and warm but not hot temperatures for the 5A races in the late morning.
Boys 5A
When the Boys 5A gun fired at 10:35, Rogers AR sr Aaron Hamilton, the reigning 7A state champ, was one of the visible leaders in the sea of runners in the first 100 meters, with his red hair and all blue uniform.
Approaching the mile, Kickapoo MO sr Rick Elliott, 2nd last year, had taken the lead in 4:47 and would hold it past the 2-mile mark, passed in just under 10 minutes. Hamilton and teammate jr Cameron Efurd were running 3-4, with Tulsa Union OK jr Steven Baker, 3rd last year, also near the front.
In the 3rd mile, Hamilton took over as the course dipped in and out of the ravines. He had a nice lead heading into the homestretch with 100 to go. But early leader Rick Elliott made one last charge, and nipped Aaron Hamilton at the tape as both clocked 16:00. Sapulpa sr Cordell Baker finished 3rd in 16:04, followed by Steven Baker in 16:11. Kickapoo’s Danny Thater rounded out the top 5 in 16:23.
Rick Elliott was pleased with his victory. “This is my favorite meet, and the biggest. It’s even bigger than our state meet. It’s my 4th year running it. I was 18th as a fresh, 10th as a soph, and 2nd last year - so the joke was that I’d be negative-6th this year since I always improved 8 places.”
“I led through 2 miles and thought someone might come up near the end. Around the 4k, the first guy from Rogers (Hamilton) went by me. I was surprised when he passed me. I told myself to stay close to him, as I know I have a good kick. Then he kind of slipped away. Then a second one (Cameron Efurd) went by me, and I said ‘No, I can’t lose to two of them.’ So I picked it back up and passed him on the last hill and got back into 2nd.”
He then put on a furious sprint. “It was definitely my best kick ever.”
And Aaron Hamilton in 2nd would probably agree. “I didn’t hear him coming. But not to make excuses, because I didn’t have much left either. I’m happy with my race and how the team ran”
Bronze medalist Cordell Baker was also satisfied. “I love this course, with the hills - true cross country. This was one of my smartest races, I paced myself a little better.” After finishing 4th here last year, there hadn’t been much news about him. “I had bronchitis at State and was way back. And I’ve always played soccer so I’ve never run track. But I will run track this year.”
In the team battle, SO#2/US#20 Rogers AR was out fast and in command at the mile. Running without usual #2 Taylor Surly, they still scored an impressive 71 points with a 16:47 average on the tough 5k course, with a 1:07 spread. Surly’s replacement, Juan Oralla, really came through and finished as the 4th man in 22nd. HL#6 Lee’s Summit West MO waged a battle for silver with Tulsa Union OK and prevailed 95-97, keyed by its #4 finishing 12 spots ahead of Tulsa Union’s #4. Kickapoo MO ended up 4th with 104.
Rogers coach Carlton Efurd said, “This is a huge meet in quantity and quality teams. This was our 2nd year in a row to win this meet and 3rd time since we started running here. We ran better than we did here last year.”
And the future looks bright. “This wasn’t our best race. We were further apart than at Missouri Southern. Taylor Surly, our #2 runner, is resting an injured foot and did not run today. I still think our best is yet to come. Juan (Oralla, #4 today) and Henry (Wildenborg, #5) helped increase our depth. We're getting tested and that is going to help us down the road.”
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Preview:
Will Rogers AR win again?
| | Can Bentonville AR girls defend?
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The “Oldest Consecutive Cross Country race in the United States” began in 1937 and is held on the Oklahoma State University cross country course. It’s also one of the largest meets, drawing over 5,500 individuals and more than 500 teams in the junior high, high school and college divisions, with large crowds of spectators. The boy’s 5000 meter course begins with a 300-meter uphill and includes six other hills. The girl’s 3200m course also starts off with the 300m hill. The course is nearly all grass and is a minimum of 15 feet wide the entire route to accommodate the large fields.
Course Records:
Girls - 10:56 Sarah Saffa, Tulsa Union OK, 2002
Boys - 15:35 Kevin Schwab, Mustang OK, 2004 & 2006, and Mark Thompson, Edmond Memorial OK, 1996
BOYS TEAM ENTRIES include:
SO#2 Rogers AR, the 2006 champs
HL#6 Lee’s Summit West MO
Oklahoma powers Tulsa Union, Mustang (defending 5A state champ), Deer Creek (4A state champ), Moore, Edmond Memorial, Jenks, Madill (3A state champ) and Sequoyah-Tahlequah (2A state champ)
plus teams from Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Texas
BOYS LEADING INDIVIDUAL ENTRIES include:
Kickapoo MO sr Rick Elliott, 2nd last year, Class 4 state #1 returnee
Tulsa Union OK jr Steven Baker, 3rd last year, 5A state #1 returnee, 1st at Edmond Dog Pack, 4th at Missouri Southern
Sapulpa sr Cordell Baker, 4th last year
Rogers AR sr Aaron Hamilton, 5th last year, state 7A champ, 3rd at Missouri Southern
Broken Arrow OK sr Mitch Johnson, 6th last year, 5A state #3 returnee
Bartlesville OK sr Caleb Clark, 5A state #2 returnee
Mustang OK sr Aaron Goble, 5A state #4 returnee, 2nd at Edmond Dog Pack
Broken Arrow OK sr Ryan Farrar, 5A state #7 returnee, 7th at Missouri Southern
Deer Creek OK sr Adam Young, 4A state #1 returnee, 3rd at Edmond Dog Pack
Rogers AR sr Taylor Surly, 7A state #2 returnees, 5th at Missouri Southern
Rogers AR sr Forrest Roth & jr Cameron Efurd, 7A state #3 and #4 returnees
Lee's Summit West MO soph Kevin Colon, 1st at Missouri XC Challenge
GIRLS TEAM ENTRIES include:
SO#6 A&M Consolidated TX
2006 winners Bentonville AR, the top team in Arkansas
Oklahoma powers Edmond North, Westmoore, Tulsa Union, Jenks (defending 5A state champ), Bishop McGuinness (4A state champ), Plainview (2A state champ), Edmond Memorial, Madill (3A state champ)
plus teams from Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Texas
GIRLS LEADING INDIVIDUAL ENTRIES include:
Tulsa Union OK sr Sara Vaughn, 1st last year, 5A state champ, 4th at Edmond Dog Pack, 2nd at Missouri Southern
Westmoore OK jr Katelin Cherry, 2nd last year, 5A state silver, 1st at Edmond Dog Pack
Rogers AR jr Courtney Efurd, 4th last year, 7A state #6 returnee, 10th at Missouri Southern
Edmond North OK sr Erin Watson, 5A state #3 returnee, 2nd at Edmond Dog Pack
Bishop McGuinness OK sr Molly Ferguson, 4A state champ, 3rd at Edmond Dog Pack
Plainview OK jr Kaili Tucker, 3A 1st and 2nd fastest overall at Edmond Dog Pack
Bentonville AR jr Mackenzie Bloom, 7A state #8 returnee, 6th at Missouri Southern
Rogers AR sr Natalia Guerrero, 7A state #3 returnee, 11th at Missouri Southern
Plainview OK soph Amber Harper, state 2A champ
A&M Consolidated TX soph Sally Hays, 5A state #19 returnee, 13th at Texas A&M
SCHEDULE: 8:00 a.m. College races start
9:00 a.m. H.S/J.H. Coaches Meeting and Packet Pickup (last minute changes)
10:00 a.m. J.V. Boys (Unlimited runners H.S.)(9-10-11-12)
10:20 a.m. J.V. Girls (Unlimited runners H.S.)(9-10-11-12)
10:35 a.m. 5A Varsity Boys 5000M (1-40) (7 Runners)
11:00 a.m. 3A-4A Varsity Boys 5000M (1-40) (7 Runners)
11:25 a.m. 5A Varsity Girls 3200M (1-40) (7 Runners)
11:45 a.m. 3A-4A Varsity Girls 3200M (1-40) (7 Runners)
12:00 p.m. A-2A-Varsity Boys 5000M (1-40) (7 Runners)
12:25 p.m. J.H. ( 6-7-8 ) Boys 3200M (1-40) (7 Runners)
12:40 p.m. A-2A Varsity Girls 3200m (1-40) (7 Runners)
1:00 p.m. J.H. ( 6-7-8 ) Girls, 1600M (1-40) (7 Runners)
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