Nebraska's
Kathryn
Handrup,Ann
Gaffiganand
Amie
Jorgenson hug
after finishing
the Woody
Greeno
Inivitational
on Saturday at
Pioneers Park.
Josh Wotfe/DN
By Josh Wolfe
Saturday wasn't the typical day at the park.
More than 600 competitors decsended onto the park
to take part in Nebraksa's only home cross country meet
of the year.
The park was transformed into a maze of paths, beat
down in the days prior to the meet by runners practicing
the course.
Many of the parks most scenic places lay along the
course, but site-seeing wasn't on the agenda.
Although the race turned out to be less of an
endurance test and more of a scramble at the start. About
300 runners per race forced their way onto a path less
than 20 feet across.
NU senior Marcus Witter, who was favored going into
the meet, attributed his No.4 finish to the start, where he
couldn't get the position he wanted. He was hoping to
win his last home meet.
The day turned out to be dominated by K-State, who
won both the men's and women's individual titles
But as the season progresses, the Husker's physical
conditioning will intensify, Husker Coach Jay Dirksen said.
They should be primed for late-October competition.
Husker Melissa
Drozda battles
to the finish
line on
Saturday.The
Nebraska
women's team
took second
place out of 32
Meams.
JoshWolfe/DN
ABOVE: K-State runners lead the way through the foliage at Pioneers Park on Saturday.The team won first place in women's and
placed second in the men's competition.
LEFT: NU runner Marcus Witter fights to hold his position on Saturday. Witter was in first place at the 5,000 meter mark but was
unable to hold his position, taking fourth in the meet.