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Show I SUSC host RMAC Cross Country An outside chance at second place is the best Coach Steve Lunt will predict for his Southern Utah State College cross country team in this week's Rocky Moutain Athletic Conference championships. The Thunderbirds host the meet Saturday at 9:30 a.m. The race will start behind the SUSC football stadium scoreboard at 1025 West 200 South. Spectators are welcome to watch the race from parked cars along the race course which will include Ridge Road, Sage Drive, and Casaloma. The runners should take about 30 minutes to complete the 5-mile course, Lunt says. Overwhelming favorite to win the meet is Adams State College from Alamosa, Colorado. The Indians are the defending conference champion. They finsihed second nationally (NAIA) last year and are currently yanked number one in the nation. Last week in the NAIA District Seven meet, which includes the RMAC schools, the Adams State team overwhelmed the field. The Indians totaled 21 points; Southern Colorado finshed a distant second with 79 points. Then in order came Western State (91), New Mexico Highlands (99), SUSC (102), Eastern New Mexico (143), Colorado Mines (149), and Metro State (163). "Running on our own course, we could con ceivably finish as high as second," Lunt said of his SUSC team's chances. "There is almost no way, however, that anyone will beat Adams State." ASC runners finished first, second, and third in the NAIA district meet last week. Placing first was Frank Rivera (24.57),' second was Robert Fink (25.15), and Andy Montanez finished third (25.25). Southern Utah State's top runner was Richard Adams, a Cedar City freshman, with a 26.11 clocking. That was good enough for seventh place. Joe Rust, senior from Garden Grove, California, finished twelfth in 27.04, and Steve Schoell, Ogden junior, was 26th (28.07). The five top. finishers from each team are determined to score the meet. "We expect a real battle for second place, with SUSC, Western State, New Mexico Highlands, and Southern Colorado all having a shot at it," Lunt said. |