MALTA — The Carl Sandburg College men’s cross country team had runners finish 1-2-3 and won its first-ever Region IV championship on Saturday at Kishwaukee College.
Calton Kibet (Kenya/Poiywek Secondary) won the individual men’s title and reclaimed the 8-kilometer school record to lead a dominant showing for the Chargers, while Sandburg’s women’s squad finished in second place, just one point shy of the region championship.
Kibet finished the men’s race in 24 minutes, 51 seconds, breaking the school record of 25:18 set just two weeks ago on the same course by teammate Josphat Langat (Kenya/Alliance). It marked the fourth time the Chargers 8K record has been broken this year, including the second time by Kibet.
Emmanuel Kiprop (Kenya/Kericho TEA Boys’ Secondary) was second to Kibet in 25:07, and Langat was third in 25:24. Nicholas Janson (Cambridge, Ill./Cambridge) was sixth overall in 27:19, and Brian Kipchemis (Kenya/Segero Adventist) finished ninth as Sandburg easily won the title with 21 points to runner-up Moraine Valley’s 42. All five Chargers scorers earned all-region honors for finishing in the top 15.
In the 5K women’s race, Barbra Jepkirui (Kenya/St. Teresa Girls’ Secondary) finished third for the Chargers in 20:16, and Mary Njuguna (Kenya/Turbo Girls Secondary) finished fifth in 20:57. Sandburg totaled 46 points but was edged by Moraine Valley, which won the region title with 45 points.
The Chargers’ final three scorers also posted top-20 times. Faith Kiprop (Kenya/ AIC Kessup Girls) was 13th in 22:45, and Kelynn Boyle (Amboy, Ill./Amboy) was 14th in 23:00 to finish on the all-region team. Lily Sharum (Trivoli, Ill./Farmington) was 20th in 23:36.
Carly Leonard of Lake County was the individual women’s champion with a time of 20:12.
RESULTS
UP NEXT FOR SANDBURG
NJCAA Division II Championships, Nov. 13 at Pole Green Park in Richmond, Va.
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