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Cross Country: Strong Performances Propel Cajuns To Second-Place Finish At Azalea City ClassicFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 12, 2014
CAJUNS FINISH SECOND IN STRONG SHOWING AT AZALEA CITY CLASSIC
MOBILE, Ala. – A pair of top-three finishes in the women’s 6K race, along with a pair of top-six performances in the men’s 8K event propelled the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns cross country team to a second-place finish at the 40th annual Azalea City Classic on Friday at the Mobile Fairgrounds.
Ashley Irwin claimed the individual title in the women’s race posting a time of 20:36.39 to lead the Ragin’ Cajuns. On the men’s side, the freshman duo of Bryce Robinson (5th, 25:07.50) and Beau Robinson (6th, 25:11.49) helped the Cajuns finish in second place behind meet champion South Alabama.
The Cajuns finished second overall in the women’s 6K race with 44 points behind UAB, ranked No. 15 in the USTFCCCA preseason South Region Poll. South Alabama (56), Troy (132), ULM (154), New Orleans (174) and Mobile (180) followed in the seven-team event.
“We really had a good day on the women’s side,” head coach Lon Badeaux said. “To finish first and third overall was very good for us and all of our top five runners finished in the top 15. We had a chance to finish first overall, but was nipped by a very good UAB team. We were able to finish ahead of three solid Sun Belt Conference schools in South Alabama, ULM and Troy, so I was very encouraged by the results.”
Anna Katherine Devitt finished third overall for Louisiana (20:54.90) with Danielle Castaldi (13th, 22:45.15), Claire Hodges (14th, 22:46.94), Courtney Broussard (16th, 22:51.51), Kelci Lyon (21st, 23:28.36), Lindsay Lagarde (22nd, 23:42.46) and Kaylei Esfeller (33rd, 25:34.11).
Louisiana finished second overall in the six-team men’s event, scoring 52 points and finishing behind host USA (22) with ULM (58), Troy (135), UNO (158) and Mobile (170) following.
Matt Rice earned an 11th-place finish for the Cajuns after covering the course in 25:48.46. Logan Pearce, who was making his 2014 cross country debut, finished 17th overall in 26:16.05 with Corbett Ourso (18th, 26:28.00), Logan Lagarde (19th, 26:47.74), Trey Bonin, (22nd, 27:02.09) and Jacob Chicola (25th, 27:42.89) rounding out the Cajuns’ contingent.
“Our guys had a really good showing, but they are not where they need to be right now,” Badeaux said. “To have Matt Rice back running his first long race of the season along with Logan Pearce, the goal will be to get them back into long distance shape as the season goes on. But with a great performance from our freshmen and getting Matt and Logan back to form, it shows that we could have something special.”
Louisiana will return to action on Sept. 27 when it travels to Lake Charles to compete in the McNeese Cowboy Stampede.
40th Annual Azalea City Classic
Women’s Results (6K)
Louisiana Individual Results
Men’s Results (8K)
Louisiana Individual Results
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