Jefferson Hagen, MacEwan Athletics
SASKATOON – Griffins cross country coach Drew Carver simply used the word 'curiousity' when asked what he expected out of the team's opening race of the season on Saturday in Saskatoon.
He had no idea how his seven first-year runners would fare against university competition at the Sled Dog Open.
Well, he sure knows now. Making her university debut, Vimy Ridge Academy product Emma Steele knocked her coach's socks off with one of the best races by a female runner in the history of the program.
With a time of 31:05 in the women's 8K, Steele finished ninth among a field of 47 Canada West competitors.
"Emma went out a little bit more aggressive than what I wanted, but she kind of fell into the right spots," said Carver. "She was sitting back in about 24th spot, but as the race progressed, some of the girls that were ahead of her that had gone out too fast started to fade. That gave her the momentum to keep picking them off one at a time."
Adding incentive was the chance to pick off and pass two of her main high school rivals – Kaitlin Swartz (31:24) and Jasmine Faddema (32:12), who are both competing for the University of Alberta Pandas.
"She was very anxious to go up against them and catch them and pass them," said Carver. "Those girls were well ahead of her and she closed it down on each one of them."
In the end, Steele's time was better than the 32:57 that 2017 Canada West second team all-star Hannah Leggatt of MacEwan ran a year ago on the same track. Carver is quick to note that conditions were much easier this year, though.
"I've always got to remember that even though the course was about the same, there were differences in the grass length," he said. "That slows a runner down if it's thick and spongy. That's what Hannah and all the athletes put up with last year."
Rookie Ashley Tymkow of Westlock, AB, also bested Leggatt's time from 2017 with a 32:54, good for 25th spot in her first university race.
"Ashley ran pretty close to the same time as what Hannah did last year," marveled Carver. "On the flip side, you can see most of the athletes ran faster this year, so there is a bit of course conditioning to consider. Still, to see them turning over and running at that speed was great to see early (in the season)."
Shehzadi Abdul (37th, 34:26), Daniella Wasielewski (40th, 35:02), Cassandra Mastel-Marr (41st, 36:33), Bailey Stang (45th, 37:20) and Delaney Cruickshank (47th, 38:24) rounded out the results for a Griffins women's squad that finished fifth in the team competition.
Griffins men's competitors Scott Kohlman, left, and Owen Guenette (just behind him) fared well in the opening race of their season (getmyphoto.ca).
The Griffins couldn't field a men's team with just two entries, but Scott Kohlman ran one of the fastest 8K races in MacEwan history, finishing in 27:06, good for 37th out of 58 competitors. Rookie teammate Owen Guenette finished 44th in 27:24.
"Scott had a great race," said Carver. "He ended up running faster than his time last year. Owen, as a first year, he had a great time."
It was a positive first race for a young Griffins squad that aims to get faster as the season progresses.
"It was a really positive experience for the first-year athletes," said Carver. "They enjoyed it. They all want to have a better race when they get to Victoria, which is exactly what I was looking for."
The Griffins will next travel to Victoria for a race against other top Canada West competitors on Oct. 13.
