Between 2003 and 2005, the men's cross country team was perched atop the NESCAC for three consecutive years. Last year, however, the team took a disappointing step backwards, finishing eighth in an 11-team field at NESCAC Championships.
But if the Jumbos' third-place team finish at the Plansky Invitational in Williamstown this past Saturday is any indication, the Jumbos have already started to put the past behind them.
"I'm sure that last year is still fresh in many people's minds, but I'm not thinking about it at all," coach Ethan Barron wrote in an e-mail to the Daily. "We learned everything we could from last year's championships and put it behind us. If we do what we're capable of, I'm sure that we will be more than pleased with the outcome."
Tufts tallied 81 points, falling behind the host Ephs, who tallied 41, and overall champion MIT with 34. However, the team's finish was not as important as the race itself for the Jumbos, who were simply looking to get a feel for the course that will be home to both NESCAC Championships and ECAC Championships later this season.
"We weren't super-concerned with how we ended up team-wise," sophomore Nick Welch said. "Most of the reason that we went up to Williams for this race was to preview the course for the NESCAC Championships. A lot of it was about getting to know the course on an individual level and getting to see which parts are challenging. To end up third, we were happy."
The invitational stretched only 6,000 meters, instead of the normal 8,000-meter distance. The Jumbos seemed unaffected as senior tri-captain Dave Sorensen led the Jumbos with a fifth-place finish, clocking in at a time of 19:20. Sophomore Jesse Faller was right behind Sorensen, checking in at 19:21, and Welch finished ninth overall with a 19:30 mark. Coming in just outside the top 10 was freshman Greg Pallotta with a clip of 19:33.
"I definitely think it was a great day overall," Sorensen said. "We all had strong finishes and were able to pass people in the final half mile of the race, which bodes well for NESCACs in two weeks."
Senior tri-captain Chris Kantos, who suffered a back injury to start the season, was not able to participate in the Plansky Invitational due to personal obligations. Kantos, however, remains a significant part of the team and is being counted on as one of the Jumbos' top five runners.
"Chris is a very seasoned runner," Barron said. "He can step onto any course and respond to those around him. We have a tight pack this year, so he will have his teammates right next to him throughout the majority of the race. Chris is a great competitor and a talented runner. He changes the face of any team he suits up for."
In Kantos' absence, junior Dave Tilton rounded out the scoring for the Jumbos. Tilton took 50th with a time of 20:34. Freshman Jeff Ragazzini and junior Ryan Lena were not far behind in 54th (20:40) and 55th place (20:41), respectively.
While Kantos has only taken part in two races this year, he has performed extremely well in both, especially in light of his injury. After placing fourth overall and first for Tufts in the Keene State Invitational, Kantos followed up by coming in third for Tufts at the Open New England Championships last weekend. With him in the lineup next time around, the Jumbos are confident that they will be able to improve up on their third-place showing.
"I think we're looking stronger than we have all year, which is rare for a team to be able to say," Welch said. "It's rare for a team to have progressed with each meet heading into the championship. As far as our top five, each of us is running healthier and stronger than we have all season. We've seen the course we're going to be racing on, and we know it well. We know what we need to do, and we're all confident that we can get it done."
The Jumbos will take next weekend off from racing in preparation for Oct. 27's NESCAC Championships in Williamstown. However, after seeing the course and finishing well without being at full strength, the Tufts runners may not have far to go.
"I believe the team is very well-prepared for a course like Williams," Barron said. "I have yet to see a course that our team couldn't succeed on, and my expectation for the team is that they put it all out there. We are a talented team. If we put it all out there and run a smart, powerful race, then everything else will take care of itself."
