The CCC XC Championships are set to take place on Saturday, November 7, in Salem, Ore.
SALEM, Ore. – Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) cross country teams converge upon the Corban University campus on Saturday morning for the 2015 CCC Cross Country Championships. In what may be the most talented field of runners the conference has ever seen, the 2015 edition of the CCC cross country championships is sure to be one the no one forgets anytime soon.
While boasting the No. 1 team in the NAIA for both the men (Southern Oregon University) and the women (Northwest Christian University), this could be the year that the CCC ultimately steals all of the headlines nationally. The men’s 8k race is set to begin at 11 a.m., while the women’s 5k race will start at 12 p.m. For each gender, the winning team at Saturday’s race will receive the automatic berth to the NAIA National Championships. In addition, the top-four finishers not on a qualifying team (automatic or at-large) will garner a berth to the NAIA National Championships, assuming that they finished inside of the top-15 racers in their respective race. The NAIA National Championships will be held at McAlpine Creek Park in Charlotte, N.C. on November 21, 2015.
On the men’s side, three ranked teams come into Saturday’s race as well as one squad that is receiving votes. Southern Oregon, which is going for its eighth-consecutive conference championship, has been ranked atop the NAIA charts for the entire season and will look to maintain its spot on top with another solid race. Last year at the conference finale, the Raiders’ top-seven runners were separated by a mere 15 seconds and the 10th-place finisher placed 21st. Ray Schireman and Jared Hixon lead the way for the top-ranked Raiders in this year’s race and should figure into the CCC All-Conference honorees when all is said and done.
The College of Idaho men have also had a solid year and come into Saturday’s race ranked No. 9 in the NAIA top-25 poll. The Yotes have never finished lower than fourth at the CCC meet (dating back to restart of program in 2004) and are led by Max Hampton, Austin Fred, and Matt Goodwin. The third team in the top-25 poll is Northwest Christian University, and the Beacons are having a program-best year with numerous solid races across the northwest throughout the campaign. The Beacons are paced by Garrett Krall, and NCU’s highest finish as a team in the CCC was fifth place in 2013, so the Beacons will definitely be looking to top that mark in Salem in 2015.
Oregon Tech is receiving votes on the men’s side in the NAIA national poll and returns three talented runners in Ben Schultz, Zach Hammond, and Ryan Pierce. The Owls will be looking to stay in the top four in the CCC, but Corban University, Northwest University, Eastern Oregon University, and Warner Pacific College will all be looking to break into the top four and finish the 2015 season in style. For Corban, junior Craig Boekenoogen (Poulsbo, Wash.) leads the way for the Warriors and is looking to break into the top tier of CCC runners at the CCC finale, while sophomore Zane West (Independence, Ore.) and junior Zach Steele (Oregon City, Ore.) are ready to make a splash as well.
On the women’s side, top-ranked NCU is primed to repeat its 2014 CCC Championship with another strong performance at this year’s CCC finale. That CCC Championship was NCU’s first in any sport in school history. With All-Americans Alyssa Harmon and Sierra Brown leading the way all year long, the Beacons have dominated every race they have competed in and are not only looking to win the CCC Title, but maybe more championship hardware at the NAIA National Championships. NCU’s squad will be good for years to come, as there is not a single senior on this year’s team.
College of Idaho finds itself ranked No. 5 in the poll and is paced by Amy Pfaff, Lila Klopfenstein, and Ruth Lewinski. The Yotes of course have won the CCC Championship a number of times, claiming the titles in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2013, sweeping the top-four positions on the podium in 2013.
At No. 18 in the NAIA Top-25 Poll is Southern Oregon, while at No. 21 is Oregon Tech. SOU is led by Jessa Perkinson, while the Owls return two from their squad that placed 11th at nationals last year in Rhonda Costin and Elissa Stoltz. In addition, Susie Garza has added a lot of talented to this year’s Oregon Tech squad and should bolster its lineup.
On top of those four ranked teams, the Corban women’s cross country team is primed and ready for its best meet of 2015 on its home course. Senior Lexi Mitzel (Salem, Ore.) is looking forward to her final CCC race and has led the Warriors all year long, clocking the team’s fastest times throughout the 2015 campaign. With a lot of depth, the Warriors will be looking to senior Elizabeth Weber (Lacey, Wash.) for a big performance, as well as sophomore Kristen LaChapelle (Turner, Ore.) for a fast race on the Warriors’ home course. Corban has registered solid results all year long and is currently receiving votes in the NAIA Top-25 poll.
In addition to Corban, three other schools will be making a push to finish out the season strong, as Eastern Oregon, Northwest, and Warner Pacific are all set for a solid finish at the CCC finale.
The race will be live streamed on Saturday, November 7, with the broadcast scheduled to begin just before the start of the men’s race at 11 a.m. Go to Warrior TV for viewing details.