This past weekend, the Maroon Men’s Cross Country team headed up to Bridgewater College to compete in their first race of the season. They participated in the same competition last year–ultimately winning first place–and they were hoping to do the same thing this year. The race started off quite well for the team, about just as well as the previous season. After 6 kilometers of sprinting, 6 Roanoke College athletes would be the first to cross the finish line. Three of those athletes were freshmen who managed to get the three fastest times of the day. The first-place finisher was Shane Stevens, the second was Nathaniel Orban (who was off Shane’s time by just 0.1 of a second), and the third-place finisher was Parker Blosser. These three young athletes are what can ultimately be described as “Freshman Phenoms”. This was the three boys’ first time in a collegiate race, but if they were nervous, it didn’t show. Other top finishers include Garrett Weaver, Ian Fellows, Samuel Brasler, and Gabe Ramirez (not listed in order of respective placements).
When asked why these athletes might have chosen a D3 college unable to give athletic scholarships, Parker Blosser ‘29 said he chose RC “because of the team and the chemistry they had”. He also commented that “although the team has only been together for a couple of weeks, he knows the bond is already there, and that is helping the boys be stronger together as a team”. One might think that Cross Country and other running events are solely individual, but ultimately a team’s score is benefitted by all runners. Parker’s note of team chemistry this early on in the season is impressive, and should help the team continue to have a successful season. The next event will be next Friday, at Queens University of Charlotte.
Lauren Price
Staff Reporter
