San Diego, Calif. – With an eighth place finish, Craig Huff earned second team All-Mountain West honors and led the San José State men's cross country team to a seventh place finish at the 2018 Mountain West Cross Country Championships on Friday morning.
"The team had some gutty and tough performances today," head coach Brad Wick said. "Overall, we didn't really finish in the position we hoped for, but I feel we still have a big race in us. With that being said, Craig was incredible today."
A senior from Huntington Beach, Calif., Huff saved his best performance in his last conference race. Previously his best finish was a 27th place effort at the 2016 conference championship meet. Huff crossed the finish line in 24:58.9 and by virtue of finishing eighth was named a second-team all-MW performer. He was just over three seconds from seventh place and first-team honors.
"From the gun, Craig was in a perfect spot," Wick said. "He stayed with a pack of the top-20 and one-by-one picked them off. He was gaining on the runner in seventh place, but he just ran out of steam in the end. He didn't leave anything in the tank at the end and ran a prefect race. If he does this in Sacramento (at the NCAA West Regional Championships) he could qualify for Nationals."
Jose Piña, a junior and San Jose native, was the second Spartans to finish. He was in 33rd place in 25:47.5 and just ahead of senior Huruy Zeratsion, who stopped the clock in 25:48.8 and in 34th place.
"Jose had a lower leg issue which popped up this morning," Wick said. "The course had lots of tight turns and questionable footing which affected him, but he gutted it out. Huruy was consistent throughout the race and I'm please with his performance."
Del Mar, Calif., and sophomore Charlie Pope was 47th and ran a 26:27.4 and Luis Chavez, a freshman from Mission Viejo, Calif., competing in his first MW Championship, was 51st in 26:47.8.
Boise State scored 50 points to win the team championship. Air Force was second (63 points) and Colorado Stat finished in third (76 points).
Individually, Wyoming's Paul Roberts was the race winner in 24:34.1. Colorado State had the second and third place finishers. Eric Hammer and Carson Hume ran 24:37.4 and 24:38.9, respectively.
The Spartans next competition will be on November 9, in Sacramento, Calif., in the 2018 NCAA West Regional Championships.
2018 Mountain West Cross Country Championships
Friday, 16 October 2018
San Diego, Calif. – Balboa Park
Final Results – Men's 8k Race
Team Results
1. Boise State (50 pts.)
2. Air Force (63 pts.)
3. Colorado State (76 pts.)
4. Wyoming (80 pts.)
5. Utah State (120 pts.)
7. New Mexico (144 pts.)
7. San José State (161 pts.)
8. Fresno State (239 pts.)
Individual Results (Top-5 of 91)
1. Paul Roberts (Wyoming) – 24:34.1
2. Eric Hammer (Colorado State)– 24:37.4
3. Carson Hume (Colorado State)– 24:38.9
4. Ahmed Muhumed (Boise State) – 24:43.0
5. Mickey Davey (Air Force) – 24:44.6
San José State Results
8. Craig Huff – 24:58.9
33. Jose Piña – 25:47.5
34. Huruy Zeratsion – 25:48.8
47. Charlie Pope – 26:27.3
51. Luis Chavez – 26:47.8