The Pratt Community College cross country team began postseason action by participating in the Region VI Cross Country Championships in Winfield, Kan. The Beavers were met with talented competition at the meet from their conference rivals. Seven nationally ranked women's teams and six nationally ranked men's teams competed in the event.
Pratt's women came into the meet ranked No. 16 in the nation. The Lady Beavers' performance reflected their national rankings. Four different female athletes from PCC ran personal best times.
Sophomore Aminata Kenyawani finished the race in second place individually. The second-year athlete crossed the finish line with a time of 18:28.31. The time marks a personal best for Kenyawani by a total of 14 seconds. A second-place finished earns her the title of fastest female runner in the Jayhawk West and the second fastest in Region VI. She also received all-conference and all-region honors for her efforts.
Also receiving all-conference and all-region honors was freshman Shantierra Jackson. As the ninth best placer at the meet, Jackson ran 19:27.99 and blew her previous record out of the water by improving 45 seconds. Jackson was the fourth-best placing runner from the Western half of the conference.
Not far behind her two teammates was freshman Jamie DeLaTorre with a personal record of her own. DeLaTorre finished the 5k race with a time of 20:48.95 which is 30 seconds faster than any time she has posted in the past. Out of 83 athletes, DeLaTorre finished thirty-ninth overall and was the third best performer for her team.
Rounding off the list of personal record holders was freshman Serena Blaske. With a time of 23:41.0, Blaske finished the race 32 seconds quicker than any other previous feat. The freshman came in seventy-first place and was the seventh-fastest runner for Pratt.
Pratt's average team time tallied up to 20:2.38. As a unit, the women's team finished fourth in the region among the 10 competing schools.
"It was great to see two all-conference and all-region athletes on the women's side. We had a lot of personal best times at the meet which is great to see. It really shows the continued development of each runner," said Head Cross Country Coach Eric Larson. "We had great conditions to run in, and the times reflected it this week! I am excited to see what the women's team does on the national stage in two weeks."
On the men's side, Pratt had two individuals with personal record times. Freshman Erick Estrada led the pack once again for the Beavers. Estrada produced the best time of his collegiate career by running a 27:11.69. The run earned him thirty-eighth place in overall individual finishes. His time marks a personal best that is 28 seconds faster than before.
Also breaking-out for PCC was sophomore Christian Collins. In the men's 8K race, Collins ran a 28:12.99 which allowed for his personal best in the event by 23 seconds. As an individual, Collins finished in fifty-fourth place and was the Beavers' second best performer.
Pratt's men gathered for an average team time of 28:45.13. With the time, PCC finished ninth among all other colleges.
PCC cross country will go the distance next when they travel to the NJCAA Cross Country Nationals Meet in Garden City, Kan. The event will take place on Nov. 10. at a time to be announced by the NJCAA.