GORHAM, MAINE 11/16/13 - Last year, Keene State College's Ryan Widzgowski qualified and earned All-America honors at the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor track Championships. Now the senior runner from Camden, Maine will get a chance to do the same at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.
The senior from Camden, Maine raced to an 11th place finish (24:59) at the New England Regional Race in Gorham, Maine on Saturday to earn an at-large berth to the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships that will be held next Saturday in Hanover, Indiana.
"I'm very proud of my accomplishment," said Widzgowski. "Cross country is by far the toughest sport. It was a tremendous confidence booster. I'm really happy."
Widzgowski might have running on the 8K course behind the Narragansett Elementary School in Gorham, but there was nothing elementary about his performance. Getting off the line quickly, Widzgowski bounced around between the 15th and 20th positions for the first three miles of the race. He made his move over the final 600-meters.
"I knew it would be fast and tight course, so I just went out comfortable," said Widzgowski. "I went into cruise control for the first half of the race then picked up the pace and started picking people off. With a half mile to go I was feeling fine and past a few more people at the end. Hopefully I can keep the ball rolling next week."
Widzgowski becomes the first member of the KSC cross country team to qualify for the national meet since Kevin Hoyt in 2011. Dave Bridgewater was the last KSC men's All-America, earning the honor in 2004.
Keene State finished ninth in the 50-team field with 252 points. Williams edged Middlebury for the team title 77-78.
A pair of seniors, Brett Mastangelo (Millis, Mass.) and Chris Plankey (Bristol, N.H.) was the next Owl runners to cross the finish line. Mastrangelo was 43rd (25:49) and Plankey placed 51st (25:55). Sophomore Ryan Brady (Durham, N.H.) who was 73rd (26:17) and senior Nick Riendeau (Canterbury, N.H.), who was right being him in 74th, place (26:19), round out the top scorers for the Owls.
Keene State's top three women posted PR times, but it was enough to overcome a strong field. The Owls finished 10th in the team scoring with 340 points. Williams also won the women's championship with 44 points.
Sophomore Samantha Goldsmith (Derry, N.H.) was the first Owl to the finish line, placing 55th on the 6K course in a time of 22:42. Sophomore Lauren Markoe (Lagrangeville, N.Y.) and junior Kait Wheeler were right behind. Markoe finished 57th (22:44) while Wheeler was 58th (22:46). Junior Kaley Mientkiewicz (Hanson, Mass.) who was 82nd (23:08) and freshman Elizabeth McGurk (New Ipswich, N.H.), who was 87th (23:13), wrap-up the scorers for Keene State.
