Idaho cross-country traveled to Missoula, Montana to compete in the annual Clash of the Inland Northwest. Both the men and women’s programs started off the season with a bang. The women finished in first, defeating all three other Division I opponents: Gonzaga, Eastern Washington and Montana. The men’s squad took second, losing only to Gonzaga.
Idaho director of track and field/cross-country Tim Cawley said the Vandals all came out strong in the opening meet.
“The athletes looked fantastic,” Cawley said in a press release. “It was really fun to watch both teams, they both ran great. On the women’s side, watching Andrea Condie win her first college race was just amazing. The rest of the women’s team behind her also ran really well, just a really strong performance. The guys were much of the same, with Grayson (Ollar) leading the way. They maintained their composure and the team looked fantastic. Travis Floeck has done an excellent job getting them ready to this point.”
Junior Andrea Condie came out on top for the women, winning the 4k race with a time of 14:11.60. Condie was named Big Sky Female Athlete of the Week for her performamce.
Close behind in second was junior Sierra Speiker with a time of 14:35.51 and junior Erin Hagen in third with a 14:38.92. Sophomore Maizy Brewer and freshman Faith Dilmore finished in fourth and fifth respectively to round out the scorers on the women’s side.
The men came out over Eastern Washington and Montana but fell to Gonzaga. Sophomore Grayson Ollar finished first for the Vandals in the men’s 6k in 18:40.89. Sophomore Fabian Cardenas came in second for the Vandals with a time of 18:53.63, followed by junior Skylar Ovnicek in third for the Vandals with a 19:07.17. Senior Tim Delcourt took fourth (19:07.22) and sophomore Dwain Stucker claimed fifth (19:18.28) to top off the Vandal scorers.
Idaho moves on to the Gonzaga/Idaho Dual Sept. 16 in Spokane, Washington.
Meredith Spelbring can be reached at [email protected]