WINFIELD, Kan. – Wayland Baptist's top runners turned in solid performances when the Pioneers competed Saturday morning at the NAIA MidStates Classic here.
Dennis Kiptoo finished fourth and
Alex Spencer ninth for the men while
Teresha Jacobs was second in the women's race. Those two and a small handful of others were impressive, but WBU coach
Brian Whitlock said the rest of his runners "have to get better" before the Sooner Athletic Conference Championships two weeks down the road.
"We're just not good enough right now," Whitlock said.
Results
In hot and breezy conditions, the coach said Jacobs "ran well" in turning in a 5-kilometer time of 18 minutes, 13 seconds, just behind rival runner Allika Pearson of John Brown University, who won in 18:08.
"Teresha was with her until about 200 yards to go and she got away from her," Whitlock said.
Michaela Phipps (20th place, 19:25) "ran fairly OK" and
Michelle Sanchez (23
rd, 19:46) "ran OK but can be better, as can the others.
"We're not bad through (the top three runners), but four and five can't be more than a minute behind my No. 3," Whitlock said.
Wayland placed sixth out of 25 teams, coming in one spot behind fifth-place Oklahoma City.
"We were only 30 points behind them, so in a smaller field (like at conference), who knows? (OCU) is definitely the team to beat (at conference)."
As for the Pioneer men, who are ranked the equivalent of 31st in the NAIA, Whitlock said he was "mostly disappointed" even though Wayland took second place altough the Pioneers were well behind first-place OCU.
"Two guys have been really consistent all year, Dennis and Alex (Spencer). The rest of them have to be better," Whitlock said.
Kiptoo finished fourth with an 8k time of 24:35, coming in behind OCU runners Jouhair Talbi and Shimales Abebe, and Dennis Mutai of Garden City Community College (Kan.). Spencer placed ninth in 25:42.
Jace Sanchez turned in a personal-best time of 27:55, leaving him 49
th in the field of 226. "Jace was out all summer with foot surgery and tried really hard," Whitlock said. "I'm expecting more out of
Jordan Dixon. He's really good in practice but has to do it at a meet.
"Our freshmen have to be better, men & women. I know they're freshmen and there are going to be growing pains, but they have to start getting the job done. They have to find out a way to get the job done."
The SAC Championships will be held Friday, Nov. 5 on a new course at Eldon Lyon Park in Bethany, Okla.
"It's supposed to be flat and fast," Whitlock said.
