LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Bald and Lady Eagles are set to make the short trip up US-15 North, as the Lock Haven University men’s and women’s cross team travel to Mansfield, Pa. for the 2009 NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Cross Country Championships.

The Meet:

The 2009 Atlantic Region Championships are set to take place tomorrow (Saturday, November 7) at Lambs Creek Recreation Area in Mansfield, Pa. Mansfield University is the host institution for this year’s championship meet. Mansfield’s course is 99 percent grass and flat. The top two men’s teams earn a trip to the NCAA Championships, while the top-three women’s teams will make the trip to the National Championships. The women will race first on Saturday, with the 6K race going off at 11:15 a.m. The men’s 10K will follow at 12:15 p.m.

The Bald Eagles:

Mike Garraway (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cedar Cliff)

Nick Hilton (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township)

A.J. Johnson (Coventry, R.I./Coventry)

Mitch Miller (Morrisville, N.Y./Morrisville-Eaton)

Brandon Pomerantz (Holland, Pa./Council Rock North)

Jed Yeatts (Mercersburg, Pa./James Buchanan)

Nathan Zondlo (Avoco, Pa./Pittston Area)

*Alternate - Chris Bell (Marysville, Pa./Susquenita)

The Lady Eagles:

Michele Gallen (Shillington, Pa./Governor Mifflin)

Theresa Gould (Hatboro, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham)

Lindsey Lambert (Howell, N.J./Howell)

Melinda Liptak (Gilbertsville, Pa./Marywood Univ.)

Alexis Patrick (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional)

Lindsay Topper (Shillington, Pa./Governor Mifflin)

Courtney Whitmoyer (Leesport, Pa./Schuylkill Valley)

*Alternate - Ashley Herr (Collegeville, Pa./Methacton)

*Alternate - Rachel Taylor (Townsend, Del./Smyrna)

Moving up in the rankings:

The Bald Eagles moved up to No. 12 in this week’s U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCA) National Poll.

The Bald Eagles also took over the top spot in the Atlantic Region, following their Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championship last weekend.

The Lady Eagles are still ranked No. 4 in the Atlantic Region.

Flying strong:

Both teams are coming off very solid performances at last weekend’s Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships at Edinboro.

The Bald Eagles took home the team title and The Haven women took fourth overall, marking their best performance since the Lady Eagles finished as runners-up in 2000.

Junior Nick Hilton (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township) led the way for the men’s side as he dominated the field on the way to the individual championship.

The Bald Eagles were led by Hilton and Brandon Pomerantz’s (Holland, Pa./Council Rock North) 1-2 finish.

Hilton covered the wet and muddy 8K course in a sensational 26.17.5. Pomerantz wasn’t far behind, as he took second overall with a time of 26:25.6

Hilton and Pomerantz’s 1-2 punch led the Bald Eagles, who had four All-Conference runners, all of whom who finished within race’s top-eight finishers.

A.J. Johnson (Coventry, R.I./Conventry) was sixth with a time of 26:40 and Mitch Miller (Morrisville, N.Y./Morrisville-Eaton) was eighth with a time of 26:47, as the duo rounded out Lock Haven’s tremendous front-running pack.

Freshman Mike Garraway (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cedar Cliff) was Lock Haven’s fifth man and took 22nd overall with a time of 27:20.3.

The No. 19 Bald Eagles were first overall with 39 points, as they bested No. 11 Edinboro (53 points) and No. 18 Shippensburg (73 points), who rounded out the top-three teams.

The Lady Eagles were led by two All-Conference performances, as they placed fourth overall, marking the highest women’s finish since they took second in 2000.

The Lady Eagles were led by sophomore Lindsey Lambert (Howell, N.J./Howell) and rookie Lindsay Topper (Shillington, Pa./Governor Mifflin), who both earned All-PSAC honors.

It marks the second straight year were LHU had two women earn All-Conference accolades.

Lambert led the Lady Eagles with an 11th place finish after she covered the 6K course in 23:28.4.

Topper was 14th with a time of 23:38.2.

Theresa Gould (Hatboro, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) was 23rd overall with a time of 23:58.7 and Melinda Liptak (Gilbertsville, Pa./Marywood Univ.) was 36th with a time of 24:26.5.

The Lady Eagles finished behind No. 8 Shippensburg, who took home the team title. Bloomsburg was second, followed by No. 21 Slippery Rock. The Lady Eagles did however beat No. 16 Kutztown, who was fifth overall.

Region outlook:

The Haven men are the defending region champions and are coming off a tremendous effort at last weekend’s PSAC Championship.

The Bald Eagles will certainly be looking to defend their title and build off their success a week ago in Erie. LHU head coach Aaron Russell knows his team is capable of another big performance.

“We had the strongest top-four runners that we’ve ever had at a championship last weekend, but to be successful beyond the PSAC, we need our fifth man to be closer to the pack,” said Russell.

Russell knows that Garraway can step and be there as LHU’s fifth man after a very solid performance last weekend. Russell is also looking for Yeatts to step up big tomorrow at Mansfield. Russell called Yeatts, “a gamer, who shows up when we need him the most.”

Zondlo sat out the PSAC meet, but he too, will be ready to roll for Lock Haven come race time.

Russell is excited about this team’s chances.

“If they race with the heart that they did at PSACs, they'll be tough to beat,” Russell said.

Hilton and Pomerantz, along with Johnson, should all be in contention for the individual crown, which has only been won by a Bald Eagle one other time (Ryan Blood, 2006).

Russell says Miller has a big heart, and will continue to surprise the competition.

The Lady Eagle will also look to build off a tremendous effort turned in last weekend in Northwest, Pa.

The Haven women were eighth at last year’s Region Championship, but after last weekend’s fourth-place finish at the conference championships, the Lady Eagles will be looking to grab a top-three spot and place in the NCAA Championships.

The Lady Eagles will be led by their front running duo in Lambert and Topper.

Russell also feels that Gould, who turned in a sensational effort, last week won’t’ be far off the pace at Mansfield.

Russell will also look for big things from Liptak.

“Liptak ran the race of her life at Edinboro, and we'll need her to continue along the same lines,” said Russell, knowing that a trip to the National Championships will come down to every runner on the team.

Russell is also looking for another solid effort from Patrick and Whitmoyer. He has also been very pleased with the progression of Gallen.

Official Meet Website:

For more information, visit Mansfield’s official championship website.

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