At the Midwestern State Carnival on Saturday, junior Chloe Susset, from Paris, France, and junior William Pike, from Newnan, Ga., both won individual championships.
The men’s team ran its first 10K of the season, coming in second, while the women placed third in their first 6K.
“It was a difficult course with bumps and zig-zags, but I never leaded,” Susset said. “I waited until the last kilometer to make the difference. It was the fastest 6k of my life, and I cannot wait to race on the same course at the regional conference.”
The Wildcats faced Eastern New Mexico University in Wichita Falls, Kan., whose men’s team won the meet. ENMU men’s team placed second at the conference meet last year and is ranked first in the conference poll this season.
Pike said ENMU came in 8th overall at the Oklahoma State Cowboy Jamboree on Oct. 1, while the Wildcat men’s team finished 23rd.
“No, we’re not yet where we want to be or need to be to accomplish our goals, but we’re working towards it, and we’ll get there,” Pike said.
The team has progressed from where it was at the beginning of the season, Pike said, and will continue to get better before the conference meet on Oct. 22.
“We do have the talent on our squad to compete at the conference, regional, and national level, but we’re going to have to all get healthy and train with intensity and purpose for the remainder of the season,” Pike said.
Head Coach Chris Woods said he has believes both teams will achieve their goals.
“I’ll never guarantee a win as it comes, but I guarantee we’ll be a very competitive team,” Woods said, “and we’re going to put a team out there who can win a championship.”
Woods said the Wildcats were able to get good practice at the Midwestern State course because the regional conference will be held at the same course on Nov. 5.
Tuesday, both teams traveled to San Angelo for the Angelo State Invitational. Woods said they used the meet as a training tool to mentally prepare for the Lone Star Conference Championships, which will also take place at Angelo State. The men and women were not striving to set a new personal record this time around.
“I’m not expecting anybody to go up here and drop an amazing PR because we’re tired. That’s how we are actually preparing for conference.”
Woods said the men and women loaded up with two meets in a one-week span but will now taper off and let their bodies rest. After the men and women freshen up, Woods said they’ll sharpen their skills right before the conference meet.
“We’ll be ready to roll.”
