MONMOUTH,
Ill. – Zach Barr of Monmouth College saved his best for last –
literally.
Barr became the first Monmouth College
harrier in over 10 years to qualify for the national cross country
meet and he did it in impressive style at the Division III Midwest
Regional Saturday in Colfax, Wis.
The sophomore toured the 8K course in 25:33
to take 25th overall and become the 7th individual runner to qualify
for next Saturday’s national meet in Hanover, Ind. Only the top
eight runners not on a national-qualifying team are allowed to
advance to the national cross country meet.
“Zach ran exceptionally well and ran some
people down after the midway point of the race,” said MC coach Roger
Haynes. “This was certainly the best race of his career.
“The course was much tougher than he was
used to,” Haynes continued. “It had more hills and inclines than the
course we usually run on, and of course the level of competition was
better, too.”
Barr, who took up cross country just three
years ago as a senior at Roseville High School, becomes only the
second Fighting Scot to qualify for nationals. He joins three-time
qualifier Dan Schisler who qualified in 1990-92.
Now Barr will set his sites on besting
Schisler’s best finish at the national meet from 1992 when the
then-junior finished 26th.
It’s a bar Barr hopes to raise next weekend.
Men's Cross Country
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