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Tag: cross country

  • Jacks Cross Country team sets high bar, aims higher

    Jacks Cross Country team sets high bar, aims higher

    by Dezmond Remington

    The Cal Poly Humboldt cross country teams have been on a ruthless quest for nothing but redemption for almost a year straight. After a solid victory on the men’s side and a more than respectable second place finish for the women at the season opener, they are one step closer. 

    The Jim Hunt Humboldt Invitational was on Sept. 17, the first meet of the season for the Humboldt cross country teams. The men’s team was led by transfer student Nicholas Brichta, who won in 25:30 over a hilly eight kilometers. Humboldt also won the team race with 26 points to Southern Oregon’s 35 and Willamette’s 75. After the Humboldt men’s last-place finish at the CCAA Championships last season, Brichta said he was eager to add his talent to the team and hopefully improve on the team’s performance.

    Brichta knew before the race he likely had a good chance to win even though he hadn’t raced in a while, as he said he felt training had been going well. He powered away from the pack on the last lap to win by 12 seconds over Southern Oregon’s Zackary Alexander.

    “It’s only up from here,” Brichta said. “I’m excited to get into some harder competition and run fast… I want to get all-conference and help the team out.”

    Junior Carson Smith, who ran 14:38 for 5000m and 3:56 for 1500m last track season, took 7th overall, but wasn’t pleased with that showing. Smith said he had been feeling under the weather for several days before the race and wasn’t able to have the race he wanted, but was pleased with how the team did. 

    “The whole team did really well,” Smith said. “I’m really excited for everything else this season… [I think the team is going to do] extremely well. [We had] a very tight group up all inside that top 10 spots. Just as a whole, the team is looking super, super strong.”

    “The big goal is Nattys [nationals] as a team,” Smith said. “That’s a stretch, but not too far of a stretch. We’re going to need to perform well at pre-nationals in October, and have the best race of our lives in November out in Montana for regionals… an end goal is always nationals. And this year, it’s looking really, really doable.”

    Freshman Luis Sandoval, in his first race of his college career and first 8k, finished ninth, which he was fairly pleased with, as he was running solo after four kilometers on a punishing course. 

    “It hurt a lot,” Sandoval said. “I was 4k in, and I was like, ‘this is barely halfway’…I just kept my eyes on [teammate] Aris [Valerio]. He was right in front of me, about 20 or 30 meters…and I wasn’t closing it but I was just kind of keeping my eyes on him. He was my anchor through the last 4k.”

    While the women’s team didn’t do quite as well, taking second with 24 points to Southern Oregon’s 40, many of the runners were still pleased with their personal performances and those of the team’s as well. 

    Senior Rosa Granados, who won the women’s 6k in a dominant fashion in 22:25 (a lead of 18 seconds over second place,) said she felt really good that day and thought the season opener went well. Her goal is also to perform well at the conference championships and, if everything goes well, make it all the way to nationals. It would be a perfect coda for Granados, as this is her last cross country season. 

    “Training with the ladies… it’s something that as a senior I’m going to miss so much next year,” Granados said. “And today was a bittersweet moment because it’s the last first home race for cross country for me, but overall, just everything the girls bring to the table is pretty much Nationals level thinking and mindset and racing and training and all that good stuff.”

    Freshman Jess Hill-Roddick of the Humboldt women’s team took 15th in 25:17, who said it was painful, but felt pretty good especially considering it was the longest distance she’d ever raced. 

    “I really like the team,” Hill-Roddick said. “I really like the people, which really helps during racing and the training because we’re doing it for each other and it’s not just me out there.”

    Head cross country coach Jamey Harris was more than content with how both teams opened their seasons, as the women’s team wasn’t at full strength due to illness. 

    “That was a really solid performance for the people we had out there,” Harris said. “…On the men’s side, getting a win over the number 10 NAIA school in the nation [Southern Oregon], that’s pretty good stuff.” 

    Harris is fairly confident about his teams’ chances this year, who said pretty much all of the athletes looked really strong, although they did have quite a lot of work to do before the regional championships in Billings, Montana in November. Compared to the previous season, however, they are leaps and bounds improved. 

    “We’re definitely better,” Harris said. “We’re capable of being better than last year, both on the men’s and women’s sides.”

    What any season will bring is never certain, but it seems every runner on the team is keen to find out.

    “I’m excited for what we have in store and what we have banked up,” Granados said. “And I’m excited to see what’s left and what we have going forward.”

  • HSU Athletics Press Conference Breakdown 9/17

    HSU Athletics Press Conference Breakdown 9/17

    Volleyball bounced back, women’s soccer took a loss and cross country preps for an upcoming meet in Oregon

    As Humboldt State sports fans wait for Jacks games to return to College Creek Field and Lumberjack Arena, the volleyball and soccer teams competed along the West Coast and beyond. Volleyball suffered an initial setback at the West Region Showcase in San Francisco, but bounced back with two wins. Women’s soccer managed a loss and a draw in Portland and men’s soccer traveled to Billings, Montana and won both of their games. Cross Country did not compete last week, but they are training for their upcoming meet in Monmouth, OR.

    The weekly HSU Athletics press conference at Lumberjack Arena featured comments from the coaches and chosen players from each sport.

    Volleyball

    The Jacks traveled home from San Francisco with a 2-2 record. Thursday brought a doubleheader loss to both San Francisco State and Cal State Dominguez Hills, both by a score of 3 sets to 1. Friday and Saturday proved to be much better, as the Jacks swept Fresno Pacific and Dominican 3 sets to 0.

    Outside Hitter Lenox Loving scored 60 kills in the four matches, earning her HSU student-athlete of the week honors. She talked about how the team chemistry and energy have improved over last season, with the benefit of the team returning ten players from last year’s squad.

    “Even when we lost everyone was working hard,” Loving said. “I think it’s just that the team chemistry is so much better this year, and everyone has the same attitude of working hard and getting the job done.”

    Cross Country

    The Jacks weren’t in competition this week; however, they were still hard at work as they prepare for their upcoming competition at the Sundowner Invitational in Monmouth this weekend. Head Coach Jamey Harris talked about the team’s preparation and what to expect with the course in Monmouth.

    “We’ve been training hard out in the marsh and in the forest trying to make ourselves better,” Harris said.

    He also talked about the course that the Jacks are going to race this Friday, saying it is milder than the home course in Arcata and he expects times to be faster.

    “It’s almost all grass, so it’s similar to our home meet,” Harris said. “It’s not nearly as hilly, but most of it is not entirely flat.”

    Men’s Soccer

    The long days of air travel paid off for the Jacks in Montana, as they swept their road trip and won both games convincingly. On Friday they beat MSU-Billings 2-0, and things only progressed as they put the University of Mary away with ease in a 5-1 win on Sunday. The Jacks made history in the second game as Isaiah Dairo scored just 10 seconds into the match, which broke a team record for the fastest goal in a game. Dairo took us through the process of the goal that started at the opening whistle and how he noticed the defenders playing farther away from their own goal.

    “From the start, we had seen that they were playing a high line,” Dairo said. “My teammate Dalton Rice plays a fantastic ball, and it took maybe two touches at most.”

    Women’s Soccer

    The Jacks are still searching for their first win. Their trip Portland included a 3-1 loss to Concordia and a 0-0 tie in double overtime to Saint Martin’s. Head Coach Paul Karver talked about the need to finish their chances, as the team only had two goals on 63 shot attempts over the two games. He also discussed the pressure on the team as they search for their first win.

    “It’s a big old gorilla on the back and the girls feel the weight,” Karver said. “It’s just that in that final moment we’re not making the right decision.”

  • HSU Athletics Sept. 10 Press Conference Breakdown

    HSU Athletics Sept. 10 Press Conference Breakdown

    Cross country dominated at home, volleyball won two of three games and soccer had mixed results

    The Humboldt State men’s and women’s cross country teams stood out at the Baywood Golf and Country Club on Sept. 6, while women’s soccer lost on the road and men’s soccer started the season with a 1-1 record. The volleyball team won two out of their three games at the Toro Classic in Carson, CA.

    The HSU cross country team performed well in front of the home crowd as they walked away with sweeping wins in men’s and women’s competition. Senior Daniel Tull took first place for the Lumberjack men, and freshman Hannah Hartwell nabbed first place for the HSU women.

    The HSU volleyball team lost their first match in Carson against Cal St. Dominguez Hills (3-0), but were able to bounce back with sequential wins against Academy of Art (3-0) and Notre Dame De Namur (3-2).

    Women’s soccer went 0-1-1 on their Bay Area road trip, losing to Academy of Art (2-0) and tying against Notre Dame De Namur (1-1). Men’s soccer was able to go 1-1 on their San Rafael road trip, pulling off a comeback win against Dominican (4-3) in overtime and falling to Holy Names (3-2).

    At the Sept. 10 HSU Athletics press conference, each coach and player from their respective sport spoke on their team’s performance and looked ahead to upcoming matches.

    Cross Country

    Head Coach Jamey Harris was ecstatic about his team’s performance in front of the home crowd at Baywood, and it helped that the Jacks had a supportive home crowd behind them. Harris noted the fact that HSU President Tom Jackson was in attendance, along with several members of the local running community.

    “I couldn’t have asked for the season to start any better,” Harris said. “This was sort of an early-season meet just to see where we are at as we go into more specific training.”

    Harris also talked about how important it was to the team that the community came out to support and noted how it works both ways, with the team also wanting to contribute back to the community.

    “It shows our runners that the community cares and that the campus cares,” Harris said. “It helps them see the value in investing their time in the community, and it becomes a great cooperative relationship that way.”

    The cross country team has a little more than a week to train and prepare before they make their way up to Monmouth, Oregon for the Sundowner Invitational on Sept. 20.

    Volleyball

    Head Coach Kelly Wood was happy about the Jacks bouncing back after losing the first match against Dominguez Hills. Wood talked about the unforced errors that the team made, but also acknowledged that the season had just started.

    “We absolutely looked like a team playing its very first match of the season against Dominguez Hills that first night,” Wood said. “We made 36 hitting errors. That’s an insane amount of hitting errors, and that’s a recipe for disaster.”

    Despite a rough first match, the Jacks were able to steal wins against their next two opponents at the Toro Classic. According to junior outside hitter Lexi Riggs who had the second-most kills during the classic with 37, the group raised their energy level for those next two matches.

    “Everybody stepped up,” Riggs said. “Every single person on the team stepped up and got themselves going. I think what turned it around for us was the energy.”

    The volleyball team will travel to the West Region Showcase in San Francisco for matches Sept. 12-14.

    Men’s Soccer

    The Jacks had a mixed weekend against Dominican and Holy Names, but the win against Dominican was a season opener that many on the team won’t forget anytime soon.

    Going into the 53rd minute, the Jacks trailed 3-1. They were able to score twice and force overtime, and then defender Gus Baxter drew a foul in the penalty box and buried the game-winning goal to complete the comeback.

    Baxter gave credit to his teammates for putting him in the position to draw the game-winning penalty. He gave credit to Dalton Rice for his two clutch goals, one in the first and one in the second half of the game.

    “There were a couple of good passes around the box and then all of a sudden the ball is at my feet,” Baxter said. “I shoot, and it hits the guys hand. I took a deep breath, stepped up to it and buried it.”

    The Jacks will get on a plane early Thursday morning and head to Billings, Montana this weekend where they will play Montana State University at Billings and the University of Mary.

    Women’s Soccer

    The Jacks weren’t able to get a win on their road trip, but they did get the tie in a hard-fought game against Notre Dame De Namur. Despite the results, Head Coach Paul Karver was able to see early-season improvements in the team.

    “I think we saw a lot of the hard work that was put in over the offseason,” Karver said. “Going 2-0 would be super fun, but in a weird way, I’ll take where we’re at. The lessons we learned were really important, and that is what the preseason is all about.”

    The Jacks will travel up to Karver’s hometown of Portland, Oregon this weekend for matches against Concordia and Saint Martin’s.

  • Jacks Dominate at Cross Country Home Opener

    Jacks Dominate at Cross Country Home Opener

    Humboldt State runners get off on the right foot with a resounding win

    The Lumberjacks kicked off their cross country season Friday, running a commanding full team effort at home for the Humboldt Invite. The race took place at the Baywood Golf Course and Country Club which offers very little flat ground for the runners. This seemed to suit the Jacks just fine as they recorded individual and team wins in the women’s and men’s races, respectively.

    • Rosie Melville follows CSUMB runner Brook Roy onto the main straight during the Humboldt Invite on September 6. Melville would go on to finish third for the Jacks, passing Roy who finished fifth.
    • Left to Right: Lucy Atkinson and Hannah Hartwell lead the pack during the opening stages of the Humboldt Invite on September 6. Hartwell would go on to win the race for the Lumberjacks while Atkinson finished sixth.
    • Maddie McGarry works her way up the steepest hill on the course at the Humboldt Invite on September 6. McGarry would go on to finish 17th.
    • Finn Tyvoll holds off a charge from Menlo College’s Benjamin Ronoh as they pass HSU coach Jamey Harris at the Humboldt Invite on September 6. Ronoh would eventually pass Tyvoll to finish second with the Jacks runner finishing in third.

    The women’s team finished the afternoon with 26 points, comfortably outscoring the next best team, Oregon Tech, who earned 46 points. The strong points production came to the Jacks courtesy of five top 10 placements. The consistency of this women’s team was accomplished in part by the runners working together in small groups to pull each other up the standings.

    An easy standout performer from the women’s race was freshman runner Hannah Hartwell, who won her first race for Humboldt State by a margin of 30-seconds from the Oregon Tech runner up Delani Dietrich.

    • Daniel Tull makes his way on to the main straight with a comfortable lead at the Humboldt Invite on September 6. Tull would go on to win the race for the Jacks.
    • Left to Right: Lucy Atkinson and Hannah Hartwell lead the pack during the opening stages of the Humboldt Invite on September 6. Hartwell would go on to win the race for the Lumberjacks while Atkinson finished sixth.
    • The start of the men’s race at the Humboldt Invite on September 6.
    • Runners make their way up the steepest hill on the course as supports cheer them on at the Humboldt Invite on September 6.

    Hartwell jumped out into the lead of the race early on, working with fellow freshman Lucy Atkinson to extend a gap on the chasing athletes. As the race progressed, Hartwell was able to pull away from her teammate and ran by herself for much of the 6K distance.

    Despite not having the benefit of working with somebody for a majority of the race, Hartwell was able to close out the competition and get the first win of the season for the Jacks.

    “It was cool to win,” Hartwell said. “I’m stoked that I won. I think that it will be really fun to get back into competing again.”

    With a winning performance from the women, the men’s team hit the course and didn’t miss a beat, placing six runners in the top 10 to finish with 20 points on second-place Menlo College who earned 51 points. With strong performances all around for the men, it was race-winning senior Daniel Tull who stood out.

    • Daniel Tull makes his way on to the main straight with a comfortable lead at the Humboldt Invite on September 6. Tull would go on to win the race for the Jacks.
    • Hannah Hartwell makes her way up the steepest hill on the course while leading the field at the Humboldt Invite on Spetember 6 on the way to victory.
    • Maddie McGarry narrowly leads a pack of runners through the back stretch of the course at the Humboldt Invite on September 6. McGarry would go on to finish 17th.
    • Elliott Portilllo leads the way early on for the Jacks at the Humboldt Invite on September 6. Portillo would go on to finish third in the race.

    Tull finished 39 seconds ahead of the next runner to cross the line, Benjamin Ronoh of Menlo College. Ronoh was followed to the line by four more successive Humboldt runners who solidified the overwhelming team win.

    Tull was happy to have crossed the line first for the Jacks and was also quick to point out positive overall performance from the team.

    “I know our whole team has had a really good summer of training,” Tull said. “We’re all fit, we’re all strong, and we’re all having fun out there doing it. If you look at these guys, they’re all smiling and laughing even though they just ran five miles fairly hard, so that’s what you want to see.”

    Head Coach Jamey Harris was also pleased with the team’s performance, saying that it proved the depth of the team from new recruits and returning athletes. Along with training for racing in groups, Harris pointed to the bond between teammates as a key to their win and the future.

    • HSU cross country coach Jamey Harris congratulates Hannah Hartwell after winning the Humboldt Invite on September 6.
    • Michael Gengo recovers from after crossing the line 24th at the Humboldt Invite on September 6.
    • Finn Tyvoll crosses the line in third just behind Menlo College’s Benjamin Ronoh at the Humboldt Invite on September 6.
    • Freshman Hannah Hartwell hugs her mom Lisa Roop after winning her first race for the Jacks at their season opening Humboldt Invite on September 6.
    • The HSU mens cross country runners raise their fists in celebration after taking both the individual and team wins at the Humboldt Invite on September 6. | Photo by Thomas Lal

    “We’ve done a lot of running together,” Harris said. “But also they just come together. It’s a really well-united team. The team chemistry is fantastic, and obviously, that impacts everything in a positive way.”

    The Jacks will have some time to recover and keep improving before heading to the Sundowner Invitational in Monmouth, Oregon on September 20. The team and its competition will also return to Humboldt on October 26 for the CCAA Championships.

  • Cross Country National Championship

    Cross Country National Championship

    By | Keaundrey Clark

    On the track’s first 400 meters, she gets her foot stepped on. She looked down and felt her shoe was coming off. Moments later kicks her shoe off. There was no turning back at that point.

    This is how Junior Tatiana Gillick’s afternoon was spent during the NCAA Cross Country National Championships. Gillick who faced a number of hurdles and obstacles throughout the season, had to face one more, but she didn’t let that stop her.

    Just moments into the National Championships another runner stepped on Gillick’s shoe and pulled it loose. Gillick kept running as the shoe came off halfway through the first turn, she left it on the course and continued the run.

    “Having the fortitude and resilience during the season helped her.” said Cross Country Head Coach Jamie Harris. The toughness and resilience she showed this year was one of the reasons she helped HSU Women’s Cross Country be one of the best in Division Two this season.

    Gillick started the season in adverse fashion as she started the season in a boot, suffered a shoulder injury during the season, she also fell during the California Collegiate Athletic Association championship meet.

    “She was a unique challenge as a coach because she started the season injured,” said Harris.

    Gillick was brought back slowly from injury this year, gradually getting race ready. It took her a few races to get back to the level she displayed last season. She had multiple top 10 finishes this season.

    Saturday wasn’t what Gillick was hoping for, but the Junior All-American looks poised to return next season. For her and her teammates she gained expiernces that will her HSU Cross Country next year.

    “Don’t let the huge crowds psyche you out,”said Gillick. “You have a chance just like everyone else. Everyone who’s get to nationals, at that point you have the power to get an All-American spot.”

    The junior will try for All-American honors next season. HSU Women’s Cross Country hasn’t had a runner receive All-American honors since Bridget Berg in 2011.

    “The silver lining is that Tatiana’s a junior, and has next year to aim for the coveted All-American,” said Head Coach Sarah Ingram. “It’s been a valuable experience for her, and the goal for next year is to get the whole team out here.”

    Despite completing the 6k race with just one shoe, Gillick crossed the finish line in 22:17.7, good enough for a 79th place out of 247 runners.

  • Best of Humboldt sports this weekend

    Best of Humboldt sports this weekend

    By | Keaundrey Clark

    Football

    No. 16-ranked Humboldt State was unable to overcome a 28-point deficit as it fell to No. 7 Central Washington 42-28 Saturday in Redwood Bowl.

    The Lumberjacks finish the season with a 8-2 overall record and a 6-2 mark in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.

    “Let’s give credit to Central Washington, they are the best team in the GNAC – that’s clear,” said Head Coach Rob Smith. “Today they were much better than we were, much better prepared and much better coached.”

    Senior running back Ja’Quan Gardner got the Jacks on the board before halftime with a run that found the end zone from three yards out with 14 seconds on the clock. Gardner was stiffled by the Central Washington defensed, he finished the game with 11 carries for 22 yards and a touchdown.

    HSU fought back in the second half. Davaeon Johnson picked off Central Washington QB Reilly Hennessey on the first drive of the half, he returned the pick 77 yards for a touchdown. Next possession a double pass with senior Chase Krivashei caught the Wildcats off guard. A 37 yards to a wide open Jamere Austin brought the game within 14 points.

    “Our kids weren’t going to roll over,” said Smith. “I told them at halftime we have two choices, respond or roll over, and we responded in that third quarter.”

    JacksBall got one more score with its senior led duo of Webber and Gardner. A 19-yard touchdown pass from Webber to Gardner brought the score to 42-28. Webber threw for 300-yards.

    “We are 8-2 and that is a very successful season,” said Smith. “These 24 seniors that end their career today – what a special group they are.”

    The Jacks honored their 24 seniors during pregame ceremonies, and 5,467 fans were on hand for the regular season finale.

    Women’s Basketball

    Humboldt State women’s basketball ended the West Region Crossover Classic play at 0-2 with a 54-50 loss to Western Washington Saturday afternoon.

    Jovanah Arrington led the Jacks with 13 points off the bench. Sophomore Tyla Turner like Arrington had double digit points with 11 and a team-high six rebounds and three assists.

    HSU returns to Lumberjack Arena Wednesday to play Notre Dame de Namur in a non – conference game, tipoff is at 7 p.m.

    Saturday they play on ESPN3 facing archrival Chico State.

    Men’s Basketball

    Humboldt State’s men’s basketball team will host its 2017-18 home opener Monday night against Pacific Union at 6 p.m. at Lumberjack Arena.

    The Jacks won its first game of the year, a 90-81 win over Palm Beach Atlantic (Fla.) this past weekend, the team dropped it’s two next games in the Disney Division II Tip-Off Classic, falling to Saint Leo 66-65 and Upper Iowa 60-55.

    Tyras Rattler Jr. led the Jacks with 22 points against Palm Beach Atlantic. He scored 14 points against Saint Leo.. Colin Caslick scored 11 points to lead the Jacks versus Upper Iowa.

    “The most positive thing about our basketball team right now is our depth,” said the coach. “We played every guy in every game and everybody had a contribution. Outside of Tyras, we don’t have one particular player who’s scoring a lot of points. It’s spread-out and we’re sharing the ball well.”

    Cross Country

    Junior Tatiana Gillick has earned an at-large bid to represent Humboldt State at the 2017 NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships.

    This will be Gillick’s first NCAA DII Cross Country Championships appearance.

    The championship will be at the Angel’s Mound in Evansville, Ind., on Sat., Nov. 18. She finished in eighth place at regionals, and she completed the 6k race with a time of 21:30.0.

    Gillick helped the Jacks to a ninth place finish at regionals in Monmouth, Ore, two weekends ago and was awarded All-Region honors for her performance.

    Volleyball

    On senior night where the jacks honored their six seniors prior to the game,

    Humboldt State volleyball lost to Cal Poly Pomona in straight sets Saturday night in Lumberjack Arena.

    The loss moves the Green and Gold to 3-21 overall and 2-16 in conference play to end the 2017 campaign.

    Freshman Lauren Reid led the Jacks with seven kills. Redshirt Freshman Kayla Costello had a season-high 14 assists. Junior Sarah Shively finished with a team-high 15 digs and two aces.