GOODELLS, Mich. – The season-opening meet for the St. Clair County Community College (SC4) men’s and women’s cross country squads was a successful one, as both teams claimed overall victory on Thursday at Goodells County Park in Goodells, Mich. The women’s squad won the 5K race (28 points), while the men followed with a triumph in the four-mile meet (21 points).
The races at the park featured a new course layout from previous seasons, which was a unique twist to this year’s meet.
On the women’s side, SC4 prevailed over Mott Community College (35 points), Kellogg Community College (67 points), and Kirtland Community College (88 points) in the team standings for those that had enough runners to qualify. Meanwhile, the Skippers’ men outlasted Kellogg (38 points) and Wayne County Community College (84 points).
Individually, a pair of Skippers went home with the overall winning honors. Freshmen Samantha Langolf (Port Huron, Mich. / Port Huron Northern), with a time of 19:39.2, and Tyler Leach (Otisville, Mich. / Lakeville Memorial), with a time of 21:56.2, were the two winners on Thursday in their collegiate debuts.
WOMEN’S RACE
In addition to Langolf, the other five Skippers all raced in their first collegiate cross country meet. Coming home runner-up was sophomore Lillian Rutallie (Marysville, Mich. / Marysville) with a time of 20:07.2, while freshman Makenna Gwisdalla (Bad Axe, Mich. / Bad Axe) was sixth at a time of 22:05.4. Right behind her was freshman Lydia McBride (Marysville, Mich. / Marysville) in seventh.
Freshman Madison Prowse (Brown City, Mich. / Brown City) crossed the finish line in 13th with a mark of 23:58.3, with freshman Gracie Sparrer (Brown City, Mich. / Brown City) rounded out the SC4 contingent with a 24th-place effort (30:39.7) in the field of 32 that showed up.
“I am very happy with how the girls ran,” said Head Coach Andrea Rheaume. “They posted great beginning-of-the-season times and taking first place as a team is always something to celebrate.”
MEN’S RACE
Including Leach, six of the eight Skippers on the men’s team finished top-10 in the field of 34. Joining Leach on the podium was sophomore Evan Jacobs (Cottrellville, Mich. / Cardinal Mooney Catholic) in third with a time of 23:05.1. Another newcomer, freshman Nolan Korolden (Yale, Mich. / Yale) opened his collegiate career with a fourth-place showing (23:09.7).
SC4 also had student-athletes in sixth, seventh, and ninth. They were sophomore Gerald (Jerry) Westrick (St. Clair, Mich. / St. Clair) with a time of 23:36.7, sophomore Wyatt Murtos (Yale, Mich. / Yale) with a mark of 23:49.6, and sophomore Korbyn Thornton (St. Clair, Mich. / St. Clair) with a time of 23:58.1, respectively.
Sophomore Sawyer Rosberg (Richmond, Mich. Richmond) came home in 14th (25:21.2), while freshman Matthew Litwiller (Davison, Mich. / Davison), also in his collegiate debut, placed 16th (26:10.8).
Both the SC4 men’s and women’s cross country teams will next be in action on Friday, September 4, at the IWU Twilight Invitational in Marion, Ind. The women’s race is set for 6 p.m., while the men’s event will follow at 6:40 p.m.
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For media inquiries, please contact Sarah Rutallie, Chief of Staff, SC4, at srutallie@sc4.edu
St Clair County Community College (SC4) was founded in 1923 and is the only public higher education institution in the thumb of Michigan. SC4 is a comprehensive community college that provides certificates and degrees for employable skills and college credits that can be transferred to a four-year college or university. The college provides collegiate arts and athletics for the area and has been an asset for students and the Port Huron community for over one hundred years.
