The St. Mary’s College of Maryland men’s and women’s cross country teams swept the team titles at their home Seahawk XC Classic Friday evening at Oak Ridge Park in Hughesville, with the men scoring 29 points and the women placing six runners in the top six for a dominant 15-point win.
Men: Smoot Leads Balanced Scoring Effort
First-year Brandon Smoot led the Seahawks in the men’s 8K, placing third overall. He was followed closely by junior Pierson Hogue in fifth and first-year Reylouson Vilmenay in sixth. First-year Connor Walsh added a seventh-place finish, and junior Blake Carberry rounded out St. Mary’s scoring five in eighth.
With five Seahawks finishing among the top eight overall, St. Mary’s totaled 29 points to claim the team title, edging Goucher, which finished second with 42 points, and Howard Community College, which placed third with 51 points.
St. Mary’s also got strong efforts from senior Noah Fisher (ninth), first-year Simon McGillivray (10th), sophomore Cooper Breakey (12th), junior Owen Swisdak (14th), first-year Kal Yewlsew (15th), first-year Reese Conklin (16th), sophomore Chaaz Sweetney (18th) and sophomore Jax Hansen (23rd).
The win follows a fifth-place finish for the men’s team at the LVC Dutchmen XC Invite to open the season, where Hogue led the Seahawks in 23rd overall.
Women: Seahawks Sweep Top Six
The women’s team turned in a dominant performance in the 6K, placing six runners in the top six overall. Junior Ella Mitchell won the individual race, followed by first-year Maggie Tsambikos in second. Senior Alexis Hodges finished third, senior Avery Arizzi placed fourth, and senior Elise Geiger rounded out St. Mary’s scoring five in fifth. Senior Weiya Carter completed the Seahawks’ top-six sweep in sixth.
With runners occupying the first six places overall, St. Mary’s secured the team title with 15 points.
St. Mary’s also received strong performances from senior Sophie Reed (ninth), first-year Aurora Della-Giacoma (11th), sophomore Elle Wilson (14th), first-year Audrey Pham (15th), junior Kayla Thomas (16th), junior Jessica Satz (19th) and first-year Ria Tribbitt (20th).
The victory comes one week after St. Mary’s placed seventh at the LVC Dutchmen XC Invite to open the season, with Mitchell leading the Seahawks with a 12th-place finish there.
Both Seahawk squads return to action Friday, Oct. 2, at the Paul Short Run in Bethlehem, Pa.
