09/22/2007

PAXTON, MASS. 09/22/07 - Graduate student Emily Tremaine raced to a first place finish to help the Clark University womens cross country team capture the 2007 Worcester City Meet Championships at Moore State Park in Paxton, Mass. on Saturday morning.

After placing third the last two seasons, the Cougars earned just their second championship in 12 years  the team also claimed the title in 1995. On the 5K course, the women placed three runners in the top five to win the championship with 27 points.

Tremaine, who sat out last season due to injury, crossed the finish line at 20:25 to claim the individual championship. The Spokane, Wash., native placed as high as second as a first-year runner. Teammates Mary Martin (Auburn, Me.) and Ellen Durand (Billerica, Mass.) were right behind for the Cougars, finishing third (21:36) and fourth (21:40), respectively. Junior Kaitlyn Sephton (Shutesbury, Mass.) took ninth (22:48) and first-year Brooke Badon (Middlefield, Conn.) was 10th (22:56) to round out Clarks top finishers.

In the four-team field, WPI placed second with 45 points; Worcester State College was third (76) and Fitchburg State College came in fourth (85).

The Clark University men finished fourth with 103 points. WPI claimed the title with 30 points.

Senior Thomas McCarthy (Scarborough, Me.) paced the Cougars with a seventh place finish (29:09) on the 8K course. Other top finishers for Clark included, Martin Leggett (Bangor, Pa.) (27th/31:56), Robert Naughton (Holliston, Mass.) (30th/32:24), Patrick ONeil (Topsham, Me.) (39th/34:36) and Thomas Brescia (43/35:22).

Forest Wilber of Worcester State College won the race in a time of 27:12.

Clark University will compete at the Community College of Rhode Island tri-meet next Saturday.