(Photo by Kirk Hardcastle)
FORT DODGE – The No. 1 NIACC men’s cross country team claimed the NJCAA Region XI Division II title with 19 points on Sunday.
No. 4 Hawkeye CC placed second with 40 points.
“A dominate performance by the men (Sunday),” NIACC coach Curtis Vais said, “by taking nine of the 12 podium spots.”
It was the first regional championship for the NIACC men since the Trojans won NJCAA Region XI titles in 2011 and 2012.
This was the first season that the NJCAA Region XI crowned a Division I and Division II champion.
Sunday’s NJCAA Region XI Division II race basically was a dual meet between NIACC and Hawkeye CC, two of the top four nationally ranked NJCAA Division II teams in the USTFCCCA poll.
NIACC was led by freshman Melvin Kipkemboi, who was the regional champion in a time of 25 minutes, 50 seconds on the 8-kilometer course at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course. NIACC sophomore Jorge Ruiz was second in a time of 25:55.
Kipkemboi is the third NIACC men’s cross country runner to win a regional title. NIACC’s Dan Mayer won the regional title in 2006 and Cody Manchester was the 2011 regional champion.
Other counting scores for the Trojans Vicente Correia, who was fourth in 26:51, Jalen Petersen (5th in 27:14) and Janvier Irakoze (7th in 27:32).
Kipkemboi, Ruiz, Correia were first-team all-region performers. Petersen and Irakoze were second-team all-region performers.
Earning honorable mention all-region honors were Stephen Ringo (9th in 27:41), Richard Marcoux (10th in 28:05), Caleb Sledd (11th in 28:27) and Stephen Votaw (12th in 28:44).
Also for the Trojans, Ellis Regan was 15th (29:46), Ben Ellis was 16th (29:47), Bryden Juelsgaard (17th in 29:49), Aidan Bauermeister (19th in 30:33), Blake Lofing (20th in 30:45), Maxwell Deeter (25th in 34:23) and Isaac Anderson (26th in 35:35).
Hawkeye CC was led by Sam Mickelson, who placed third in 26:22.
Other counting scores for Hawkeye CC were Brandon Conrad (6th in 26:22), Kolby Winter (8th in 27:36), Dodson Melchiori (13th in 29:11) and Koby Brackemeyer (14th in 29:35).
NIACC returns to action Nov. 14 at the NJCAA Division II national meet in Fort Dodge.
