Friday, March 5
Bethlehem, PA
2:00 p.m.
Lehigh University
vs
Patriot League Championships
Men's XC's unable to maintain strong start and finishes fifth at PLC
3/5/2021 6:19:00 PM | Men's Cross Country
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – On a cold and windy afternoon on the Goodman Campus, the Lehigh men's cross country team record a fifth-place finish at the Patriot League Championships. Lehigh's score of 109 trailed fourth-place Bucknell's score of 86. Army West Point claimed its fourth straight title with a score of 41.
In a unique season like this year's was, no one knew what to expect from today's race. With limited practice over the last two months, the Mountain Hawks felt like they had a good shot to contend, and for the first half of the race they did. As the race progressed into the final mile, the top runners in the field quickly pushed on the gas and separated from the field.
When the gun sounded, Lehigh's top four runners quickly jumped ahead and looked to stay with the leaders. Michael Mitchell, Connor Melko, Brad DeMassa and Nick Norton paced the Brown and White throughout the day. Mitchell and Melko hung with leaders the longest, as halfway through the race Mitchell, Melko and DeMassa maintained in the top 12. On the third lap around the road course, Melko and DeMassa passed Mitchell for the top two Lehigh spots. At the conlusion of the halfway point in the race, Lehigh had three runners inside the top 15.
From the third lap of the four and a half lap race, the top 15 guys put a big gap from the mid-tier runners. Norton couldn't maintain his pace and drifted out of the top runners at the beginning of the third lap. On the last lap of the road course race, the top runners took off and couldn't be caught. DeMassa ended up passing Melko for the Lehigh top spot and crossed the line in 15th with a time of 22:35.10. DeMassa missed being named All-League by just four and a half seconds.
The sophomore Melko was the second Lehigh finisher and came in 17th with a time of 22:40.50, while Mitchell came in 23rd at 22:56.70. Tyler French ended up being Lehigh's fourth finishing runner at 22:57.40 for 24th. The senior Norton finished 31st with a time of 23:17.70. Junior Nick Wilson was the sixth Lehigh runner 23:26.40.
2021 Men's Championship Team Results
1. Army West Point, 41
2. Boston University, 49
3. Lafayette, 73
4. Bucknell, 86
5. Lehigh, 109
6. American, 167
7. Holy Cross, 201
8. Colgate, 222
9. Loyola Maryland, 236
In a unique season like this year's was, no one knew what to expect from today's race. With limited practice over the last two months, the Mountain Hawks felt like they had a good shot to contend, and for the first half of the race they did. As the race progressed into the final mile, the top runners in the field quickly pushed on the gas and separated from the field.
When the gun sounded, Lehigh's top four runners quickly jumped ahead and looked to stay with the leaders. Michael Mitchell, Connor Melko, Brad DeMassa and Nick Norton paced the Brown and White throughout the day. Mitchell and Melko hung with leaders the longest, as halfway through the race Mitchell, Melko and DeMassa maintained in the top 12. On the third lap around the road course, Melko and DeMassa passed Mitchell for the top two Lehigh spots. At the conlusion of the halfway point in the race, Lehigh had three runners inside the top 15.
From the third lap of the four and a half lap race, the top 15 guys put a big gap from the mid-tier runners. Norton couldn't maintain his pace and drifted out of the top runners at the beginning of the third lap. On the last lap of the road course race, the top runners took off and couldn't be caught. DeMassa ended up passing Melko for the Lehigh top spot and crossed the line in 15th with a time of 22:35.10. DeMassa missed being named All-League by just four and a half seconds.
The sophomore Melko was the second Lehigh finisher and came in 17th with a time of 22:40.50, while Mitchell came in 23rd at 22:56.70. Tyler French ended up being Lehigh's fourth finishing runner at 22:57.40 for 24th. The senior Norton finished 31st with a time of 23:17.70. Junior Nick Wilson was the sixth Lehigh runner 23:26.40.
Highlights from today's men's XC race on the road course. The men finished fifth on the day. #GoLehigh pic.twitter.com/YhX0r4zIUZ
— Lehigh Track & XC (@LehighTFXC) March 5, 2021
2021 Men's Championship Team Results
1. Army West Point, 41
2. Boston University, 49
3. Lafayette, 73
4. Bucknell, 86
5. Lehigh, 109
6. American, 167
7. Holy Cross, 201
8. Colgate, 222
9. Loyola Maryland, 236
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
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