CLARION HARRIERS READY FOR 2006 SEASON

Jayson Resch takes over as Interim Head Coach

            It’s a new year with a new coach for the 2006 Clarion University Cross Country team.

            Jayson Resch, a volunteer assistant coach last year, takes the reigns as Interim Head Coach this season after Daniel Caulfield stepped down over the summer.

            “I’m excited to be at Clarion”, Resch said. “We have a strong team with a great group of athletes. I’m looking forward to coaching them and helping them develop this season.”

            The Golden Eagles will start the 2006 season Saturday when they travel to Pittsburgh for the Duquesne Duals.

            “It’s always exciting to get the season started,” Resch said. “The athletes have been training hard all summer, and now its time to go out and compete against other teams and see that training pay off.”

GOLDEN EAGLE WOMEN LED BY RICHARD, WHEATLEY

            Clarion’s women’s team, which finished seventh at PSAC’s last year, will be led by two top 25 runners from last year’s conference championship – junior Erin Richard (Erie/McDowell) and senior Tasha Wheatley (Saltsburg/Kiski Area).

            “Our goal is a Top Three finish at PSAC’s and Regionals,” Resch said. “That’s based off a couple of things. First, we are led by a couple of strong runners in Erin and Tasha who we believe are ready to have outstanding seasons. Second, the supporting group with them has a lot of experience and has had success during the past year in track and field. We believe those two things combined can help us achieve our goal.”

            Resch said that Golden Eagles are looking to peak in early November in time for the NCAA Regional Meet at Slippery Rock.

            “The conference meet was at Slippery Rock last year, and out runners are very familiar with that course,” Resch said.

            Richard and Wheatley will once again be expected to lead the way.

            Richard finished 20^th at both PSAC’s (23:31) and NCAA Regionals (22:44). She used that performance as a springboard into the track and field season where she won indoor PSAC Titles in the 3,000 and Distance Medley Relay while finishing second in the Mile and outdoor PSAC Titles in the 1,500 and 3,000 while qualifying for the NCAA Nationals in the 3,000 and 5,000.

            “Erin’s goal is to finish in the top three range at both the conference and regional meet,” Resch said. “She has a great track season that saw her improve her personal records in the 5,000, which has led to some of the increased expectations. Also her times in the time trials during camp have shown some great improvements over last year.”

            Wheatley finished 21^st at PSAC’s (23:32) and 23^rd at NCAA Regionals (22:51) last fall. She also carried that performance into the track seasons finishing second in the indoor 5,000 and seventh in the indoor 3,000 while taking third in the outdoor 3,000 Steeple Chase.

            “Tasha has really been working hard,” Resch said. “I expect her to rise to the challenge and perform well this season. She has a chance to finish in the Top 20.”

            Additional key returnees for Clarion are junior Holly Urban and senior Autumn Shaffer.

            Urban was 67^th at PSAC’s (25:19) and 103^rd at Regionals (25:40) in fall and then had a strong track season that saw her finish second at indoor PSAC’s in the 800 while qualifying for the NCAA Championships. She added a fifth place finish in the outdoor 800.

            Shaffer was 40^th at PSAC’s (24:10) and 65^th at Regional (23:59) last fall.

            “We also expect contributions from key returning sophomores Kate Ehrensberger (St. Marys/Elk County Catholic; 60^th at PSAC’s – 24:57; 82^nd at Regionals – 24:29) and Caitlin Palko (Pittsburgh/North Hill),” Resch said. “Our freshmen class consisting of Kaycee Shaffer (Imperial/West Allegheny), Autumn’s sister, Suzanne Schwerer (Wexford/Pine-Richland) and Meaghan Conroy (Apollo/Kiski Area) is very strong.

            “Overall, the team has worked hard throughout the summer, and each of the athletes showed very strong improvements during our recent preseason time trial.”

ALL-PSAC RUNNER CLARK PACES EXPERIENCED MEN’S TEAM

            An experienced Golden Eagle men’s team, which finished seventh at PSAC’s and eighth at Regionals, also has high goals for the 2006 season.

            “We have a strong team-based goal,” Resch said. “We would love a high finish at PSAC’s and Regionals. This team is in a similar situation as the women’s team with a lot of strong returning runners who have worked hard all summer. If things break right, we could finish as high as fourth.”

            Junior Chris Clark (Hadley/Commodore Perry) is one of the main reasons the Golden Eagles have lofty expectations.

            Clark (10^th at PSAC’s – 25:51; 18^th at Regionals – 32:23) became the first Golden Eagle to earn All-PSAC Honors (Top 15 finish) since Ian King was 12^th in 1999, and the first Clarion men’s runner to finish in the Top 10 since Jim Snyder was 10^th in 1986 and 7^th in 1985.  In the Spring, Clark finished third at outdoor PSAC’s in the 5,000 and qualified for the NCAA Championships in both the 5,000 and 10,000.

            “There is no doubt the bar is set high for Chris,” Resch said. “He is a very confident individual, but at the same time he has put in the hard work to be good. He has set his eyes on what he wants to accomplish, which is a top-five range finish. Based on his belief in himself and his work ethic, I believe he’ll be able to accomplish that goal.”

            Resch also has high hopes for senior Sean Williams (Austintown, Ohio/Austintown-Fitch), who was 27^th at PSAC’s (26:36) and 34^th at Regionals (33:15) last season.

            “Sean is our No. 2 runner,” Resch said. “He has put in a tremendous amount of work since last year. Before last season, he had been plagued by injuries. He has stayed healthy recently, and he is one of the strong leaders on our team.”

            Resch is also looking for solid production from junior Bill Herrmann (Centereach, NY/Newfield) who was 43^rd at PSAC’s (27:12) and 55^th at Regionals (34:00), sophomore Sean McFarland, who was slowed by injuries in cross country before qualifying for PSAC’s in outdoor track in the 5,000 and senior Travis Cyphert from nearby Clarion-Limestone High School.

            “Last season we had a pack mentality,” Resch said. “We see the same type of mentality this year, but we would like to see that pack move up from finishing in the high 30’s and low 40’s to finishing in the Top 30. The pack needs to get higher in the standings.”

            “We also expect key contributions from junior Steve Banks (Butler/Butler), sophomore Jeff Musick (Warren, Ohio/John F. Kennedy) and freshmen Adam Sencak (Pittsburgh/North Hills), Josh Foulds (Mechanicsburg/Mechanicsburg) and Levi Miller (Coopersburg/Southern Lehigh),” Resch said.

            GOLDEN EAGLE NOTES – For the first time in nearly 10 years, Clarion will host a home cross country meet when it entertains Slippery Rock at 4:30 p.m. Sept. 15 at the Clarion Oaks Golf Club in a dual meet … The Golden Eagles last true home cross country meet was in Oct. of 1998 when it hosted the PSAC Championships at the then Mayfield Golf Course which is now Clarion Oaks … PSAC’s is slated for Oct. 28 at Bloomsburg with NCAA Regionals set Nov. 4 also at Slippery Rock.

Chris Clark

Erin Richard