Clayton State teams set to aim high at 2009 Peach Belt Conference Cross Country Championships
Lakers’ Mutiso, Chino, Ellis, Aylor each seek All-PBC honors

MORROW, Ga. – October 22, 2009 – With two weeks to get rested and prepared, the Clayton State Laker men’s and women’s cross country teams have its sights set on Lumberton, N.C., this weekend at the 19th Peach Belt Conference Cross Country Championships, which will be held at Luther Britt Park.

The championship is the first of the PBC-GEICO Championship Series and brings together the largest field for a cross country championship the PBC has had since 2003. The women’s 6K race will begin at 8:30 a.m., while the men will run an 8K at 9:15 a.m. Admission to the races is free.

The Laker men are aiming for its first PBC championship since the 2005 season, which was oddly enough held at Luther Britt Park. Clayton State, which has finished runner-up each of the last two seasons to Columbus State, will try to break the Cougars’ three-year hold on the PBC.

Clayton State is coming off an impressive team victory at the Southern Challenge on Oct. 10, and head coach Mike Mead believes the Lakers have the depth to make a run at Columbus State.

"The last time we ran there, we had some good success, but it’s a little different now," said Mead. "It’s a fast course – the fastest we’ve run this season. We just need to adapt to that pace."

One runner who shouldn’t have any trouble adjusting to the pace of the course for Clayton State is junior Fidelis Mutiso. One of the top runners in the PBC, Mutiso won the Southern Challenge and has also recorded two more Top 10 finishes. His best time in the 8K this season was 25:53.

Mutiso will need support from his teammates, in particular junior Joey Chino. An All-PBC selection last season and the runner-up in the PBC Championship, Chino is coming off a second-place finish to Mutiso at the Southern Challenge. Chino will need to score high for the Lakers to contend, as will juniors Ezra Mutai and Jarrid Casimir and freshmen Stephen Bowers and Ayrton Azscue.

According to Mead, the Lakers will need to have all five runners place in the Top 15 to legitimately win the conference championship.

"We are going to find a way to battle them (Columbus State) hard," said Mead. "We know we will get strong finishes from Mutiso and Chino, but the key is the three, four and five runners and how strong they can run and how high they can finish."

The Clayton State women have not had a Top Five finish in the PBC Championships since the 2006 season, when the Lakers placed second behind Columbus State. However, Mead believes that will change this season with a group that has been one of the harder-working teams in women’s cross country at Clayton State.

Junior Chelsea Ellis has solidified herself as the Lakers’ new No. 1 runner following the graduation of two-time Division II All-American Allison Kreutzer. Ellis has had two Top 10 finishes this season, and also placed 18th in a field of nearly 300 runners at the Disney Cross Country Classic. Her best 5K time this season was 19:38 at the Mercer Invitational.

In addition to Ellis, Mead expects big performances from sophomore Kourtney Aylor, who has quickly established herself as the Lakers’ No. 2 runner. A strong finish by Aylor could earn her All-PBC honors as well. Rene Mares, Paige Galvin, Megan Barnes and Tamara Marshall will need to be a strong support rod for the Lakers to crack the Top Five.

"I will very pleased with fifth place or higher, and be very disappointed if we place below fifth," Mead said. "Chelsea has really come into her own. She’s been training hard since the beginning of the summer, and the results are showing. The ladies have had super workouts, but the key will be how mentally prepared they will be for a race like this."