Wake Forest to Race at Blue Ridge Open
10/16/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
By Scott Wortman, Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeTrack)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Wake Forest men's and women's cross country teams are nearing postseason competition with just one more meet before the ACC Championships later this month. The Demon Deacons are set to race at the Blue Ridge Open on Friday afternoon in Boone, N.C.
Friday's meet will mark the Deacons' second trip to Boone this season after both squads won the season-opening Covered Bridge Open on Aug. 29. Now, Wake Forest returns to the same course looking for one final tune-up before competing at the ACC Championships on Oct. 31.
"With this being our final competition prior to the ACC Championships, I am eager to see how we have progressed over the season," said Wake Forest head coach John Millar. "Returning to Boone to compete on the exact same course we began the season on should give us a good indication of how far we have come in terms of fitness and competitiveness."
The Blue Ridge Open, hosted by Appalachian State, will begin at 4 p.m. with the women's 5k race followed by the men's 6,400m race at 4:40 p.m. Other teams in the field include Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, East Carolina, Furman, Gardner-Webb, High Point, Lees-McRae, Lenoir-Rhyne, NC State, Northern Kentucky, Radford and Winston-Salem State.
This will mark the Deacons' fourth-straight week of competition. Wake Forest has mixed and matched its lineups over the past two weeks to rest its top runners and determine its full postseason squad.
Last weekend, the women ran their full squad and won the Royals Challenge in Charlotte, N.C. Samantha Jones took home top honors at the meet, her third win of the season, and was named ACC Performer of the Week on Tuesday.
"We are looking to see how the women have developed over the past eight weeks," said Millar. "This is also the final opportunity to determine our squad for the conference meet in two weeks. I am looking for Sam Jones, Cate Allen and Kathleen Darling to build upon the success they have had so far this season, and for others to continue to show progress as we determine our top seven or so individuals. We have several ladies who appear ready to make the move and run alongside our top three."
The Wake Forest men ran a limited squad at last week's Royals Challenge and finished fifth overall. Tommy Ross paced the men in 25th place. The week prior at the Upstate Invitational, the full men's squad took home the team title and placed five runners in the top 11 at the meet. Kent Garrett paced the men in second place, just 10 seconds shy of winning the meet.
"I am looking for our men to run much more aggressively as a group this meet. Competing on a four-mile course should definitely allow them to run a fast first mile as we look ahead to preparation for the ACC Championships," said Millar. "We are still trying to determine our top 10 for the conference meet and this will be the last opportunity for several individuals to state their case.
"I expect to see Jacob Poyner, Kent Garrett and Alexander Rose race in a way that will prepare them to be among the lead pack at the upcoming ACC race and by doing so encourage the rest of the squad to run together as a solid pack. Decreasing our time differential between our top five is certainly a goal for this meet."
Prior to this season, the Deacons last ran in Boone at the Blue Ridge Open meet in 2012 and enjoyed much success as both the men's and women's squads won the event. Nicole Irving took first individually in the women's race, while Nate Guthals placed second for the men.
Wake Forest will have next weekend off before competing at the ACC Championships on Halloween morning in Earlysville, Va. The conference meet is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.
Players Mentioned
