Clayton State women finish second, men place sixth at Peach Belt Conference Championships
Cobb tops Kreutzer for individual women’s championship

SMITH STATION, Ala. --- OCTOBER 21, 2006 --- Call it close, but no cigar for the Clayton State Laker women’s cross country team on Saturday at the Peach Belt Conference Championships as the Lakers finished a close second to Columbus State. Clayton State finished second overall with 58 points, only two points behind Columbus State for first place.

In the men’s race, Clayton State finished sixth with 131 points as Columbus State also won the men’s championship with 27 points.

Despite not corralling the team title, the Clayton State women’s duo of Allison Kreutzer and Angela Cobb lived up to their dominating expectations, although they traded places for the first time this season. Cobb won the women’s title with a time of 17:20.49, while Kreutzer finished a close second with a time of 17:27.77. In four previous races this season, Kreutzer had edged Cobb in the top two spots.

In addition, Cassandra Bolivar finished a strong fifth for the Lakers with a time of 19:10.97.

By finishing in the Top 14 in the race, Cobb, Kreutzer and Bolivar each earned All-Peach Belt Conference honors, while Cobb also earned Peach Belt Runner of the Year. Her time of 17:20.49 was a conference meet record and Laker team record.

Other Clayton State scores included Terrica Hamilton finishing 19^th with a time of 19:49.64, while Maria Larsen finished 31^st in 20:47.10, Katelyn Stache finished 42^nd in 21:09.27 and Melissa Fernandez placed 45^th in 21:11.50.

For the Clayton State men, Nelson Lopez finished 14^th with a time of 27:54.24, followed by Chris Ritchie finishing 19^th in 28:53.76. Travis Morris finished 31^st in 30:48.59, David Taylor finished 32^nd in 31:09.92 and Alfred Dixon placed 35^th in 34:48.71.

The Clayton State women and some select men will compete next in the NCAA Division II South Regional in Memphis on Nov. 4.