15 Points: A Quest for Perfection
10/1/2020 11:39:00 AM | Cross Country
Throwback Thursday - Presented by CalPortland
1-2-3-4-5.
It goes without saying that seeing a top-five sweep at a cross country meet is rare under any circumstances at the collegiate level. It's even rarer to witness such a score at a conference championship meet.
Three times throughout Cal Poly cross country conference championship history, though, the adage of "Nobody's perfect" didn't apply.
The first occurrence of a flawless 15-point title for the Mustangs was seen on Oct. 18, 1980, when the Cal Poly women's squad won the Southern California Athletic Association banner at Morro Bay State Park.
Maggie Keyes topped the sweep, running the 5K in 17:46.7, to lead the way toward a 41-point win over CSUN.
En route to an AIAW Nationals appearance in Seattle, Liz Strangio was second, clocking a time of 18:46.6, ahead of Janice Kelley (19:01.1), Amy Harper (19:04.3) and Irene Crowley (19:25.6).
Then just three falls later, after the SCAA shifted into the California Collegiate Athletic Association, the Mustang women would repeat the 15-point feat.
At the time, the Western Regionals also served as the conference championship site. On Oct. 29, 1983 in Rocklin, the Mustangs routed the field on the narrow Sierra College course.
Included among a string of 13 straight CCAA titles for the Mustang women's team (1981-93), Cal Poly came into the meet ranked No. 2 in the country in the Division I poll.
"We've established in everyone's minds that this is the finest Division II team ever assembled," head coach Lance Harter told the Mustang Daily afterward.
Amy Harper claimed the CCAA crown, clocking a 5K time of 17:18, edging teammate Lesley White's 17:21.
Rounding out the leaderboard were Robyn Root (17:23), Marilyn Nichols (17:38) and Katie Dunsmuir (17:38), while Katy Manning (17:47) and Gladees Prieur (17:49) also had especially strong performances.
"Everyone ran very, very well, especially Dunsmuir and Root," Harter added. "This was a breakthrough race for both of them."
Harper was selected as the overall Cal Poly Athlete of the Year in 1983.
"We're living up to or surpassing our ranking," Harter said to the Telegram-Tribune of the title, which included contributions from four freshmen. Root would go on to be chosen as the CCAA's All Sports Female Athlete of the Year in '84-85, just as Harper earned two years earlier. "Most of the time freshmen are uncertain. These girls are confident. They aren't afraid to show what they're made of."
Twenty-four years later — heading into the 2007 postseason — the stars aligned once more for history in San Luis Obispo.
The Mustang men's squad won the Big West Conference championship at Fairbanks Cross Country Course, as their 15-point score on a 67-degree, partly cloudy morning off Highway 1 was a first for the conference.
Their score moved beyond those tallied by 1986 UC Irvine (then in the PCAA) and 1996 Boise State, each of whom previously shared the record with 16-point meets.
"Any time you do that, it's something very special," Mustang head coach Mark Conover said after the 15-point display. "That's the ultimate score in cross country. It's like shooting a few eagles in your golf game and it's quite a testimony to them and what they wanted to get done out here today. I'm really proud of them — it's quite an accomplishment."
Not only that, but as Cal Poly chalked up a 38-point margin of victory, all five Mustangs rewrote the course's 8K record set four years prior — led by champion Phillip Reid at 25:12.4.
Behind Reid, 2007's Cal Poly Athlete of the Year, were Troy Swier (25:21.1), Evan Anderson (25:22.6), Jeff Lease (25:23.2) and Joe Gatel (25:24.2).
"I'm thrilled for them," Conover added to the Daily. "They put on a wonderful performance."
Leif Anderson also recorded a 10th-place 25:45.5, while Matt Johnsrud (25:46.4) and Carl Dargitz (25:56.3) followed in 11th & 15th place, respectively. The '07 Mustangs went on to finish 11th at the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute.
"It was the most amazing feeling finishing that race," Reid said at the time, "and then looking back and seeing four of my teammates come in right behind me."
@CPMustangs • #RideHigh
It goes without saying that seeing a top-five sweep at a cross country meet is rare under any circumstances at the collegiate level. It's even rarer to witness such a score at a conference championship meet.
Three times throughout Cal Poly cross country conference championship history, though, the adage of "Nobody's perfect" didn't apply.
The first occurrence of a flawless 15-point title for the Mustangs was seen on Oct. 18, 1980, when the Cal Poly women's squad won the Southern California Athletic Association banner at Morro Bay State Park.
Maggie Keyes topped the sweep, running the 5K in 17:46.7, to lead the way toward a 41-point win over CSUN.
En route to an AIAW Nationals appearance in Seattle, Liz Strangio was second, clocking a time of 18:46.6, ahead of Janice Kelley (19:01.1), Amy Harper (19:04.3) and Irene Crowley (19:25.6).
Then just three falls later, after the SCAA shifted into the California Collegiate Athletic Association, the Mustang women would repeat the 15-point feat.
At the time, the Western Regionals also served as the conference championship site. On Oct. 29, 1983 in Rocklin, the Mustangs routed the field on the narrow Sierra College course.
Included among a string of 13 straight CCAA titles for the Mustang women's team (1981-93), Cal Poly came into the meet ranked No. 2 in the country in the Division I poll.
"We've established in everyone's minds that this is the finest Division II team ever assembled," head coach Lance Harter told the Mustang Daily afterward.
Amy Harper claimed the CCAA crown, clocking a 5K time of 17:18, edging teammate Lesley White's 17:21.
Rounding out the leaderboard were Robyn Root (17:23), Marilyn Nichols (17:38) and Katie Dunsmuir (17:38), while Katy Manning (17:47) and Gladees Prieur (17:49) also had especially strong performances.
"Everyone ran very, very well, especially Dunsmuir and Root," Harter added. "This was a breakthrough race for both of them."Harper was selected as the overall Cal Poly Athlete of the Year in 1983.
"We're living up to or surpassing our ranking," Harter said to the Telegram-Tribune of the title, which included contributions from four freshmen. Root would go on to be chosen as the CCAA's All Sports Female Athlete of the Year in '84-85, just as Harper earned two years earlier. "Most of the time freshmen are uncertain. These girls are confident. They aren't afraid to show what they're made of."
Twenty-four years later — heading into the 2007 postseason — the stars aligned once more for history in San Luis Obispo.
The Mustang men's squad won the Big West Conference championship at Fairbanks Cross Country Course, as their 15-point score on a 67-degree, partly cloudy morning off Highway 1 was a first for the conference.
Their score moved beyond those tallied by 1986 UC Irvine (then in the PCAA) and 1996 Boise State, each of whom previously shared the record with 16-point meets.
"Any time you do that, it's something very special," Mustang head coach Mark Conover said after the 15-point display. "That's the ultimate score in cross country. It's like shooting a few eagles in your golf game and it's quite a testimony to them and what they wanted to get done out here today. I'm really proud of them — it's quite an accomplishment."
Not only that, but as Cal Poly chalked up a 38-point margin of victory, all five Mustangs rewrote the course's 8K record set four years prior — led by champion Phillip Reid at 25:12.4.
Behind Reid, 2007's Cal Poly Athlete of the Year, were Troy Swier (25:21.1), Evan Anderson (25:22.6), Jeff Lease (25:23.2) and Joe Gatel (25:24.2).
"I'm thrilled for them," Conover added to the Daily. "They put on a wonderful performance."
Leif Anderson also recorded a 10th-place 25:45.5, while Matt Johnsrud (25:46.4) and Carl Dargitz (25:56.3) followed in 11th & 15th place, respectively. The '07 Mustangs went on to finish 11th at the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute.
"It was the most amazing feeling finishing that race," Reid said at the time, "and then looking back and seeing four of my teammates come in right behind me."
@CPMustangs • #RideHigh
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