STEVE CARPENTER
HutchCC Sports Information
VICTORIA – Sophomore Louise Cocking posted her ninth career Top 10 finish while fellow sophomores Noelle Higaldo and Jurney Yung both ran for personal records as the Hutchinson Community College women’s cross country team tied for eighth on Saturday at the Fort Hays State Tiger Open at the Sand Plum Nature Course.
The Blue Dragons tied NAIA program Wayland Baptist University for eighth place in the Black Division (NJCAA and NAIA runners) with 198 points. Cloud County won the team title with 68 points. Dodge City was second with 93.
Cocking had her fourth Top 10 finish of her sophomore season with a ninth-place performance in a time of 19:11.67. Cocking was the only Blue Dragon to finish in the Top 40 of a tremendous 134-runner field.
Hidalgo, who missed one race because of injury this season, posted a career-low 5,000-meter time in 20:36.46. Hidalgo finished 41st overall. Yung ran a career-best time of 22:04.86 and placed 76th overall.
Three Blue Dragon freshman set PRs on Saturday.
Anastasia Meyer placed 45th in a career-low time of 20:40.06. Michele Gage placed 64th in a personal-best time of 21:35.28. Sydney Grauer also had a season-low time of 22:02.32, which was 72nd overall.
Sophomore Izzy Wheeler has a season’s-best time of 22:12.61 to finished 81st overall.
Freshman Aidyn White placed 89th in a time of 22:57.06.
Wayland Baptist runner Teresha Jacobs was the individual winner with a time of 18:12.71
The Blue Dragons next run at the Region VI Championships on October 30 in Colby.