Mountaineer cross-country teams post strong showing at Firetower Project

Becca Bridges

Senior Izzy Evely was the first Mountaineer to cross the finish line, earning her fourth place out of 101 runners. Evely was named the Sun Belt Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week after posting a season-best time of 17:29.08 in the Firetower Project.

Alex McCaskey, Reporter
September 22, 2021

The Mountaineer cross country teams competed in the Firetower Project at the Don Kennedy Trails at State Farm in Boone Sept. 17. The men’s team won their event with 18 points, while the women’s team finished second in their event with 38 points.

Graduate student Daniel Smith sprints across the finish line of the Sept. 17 Firetower Project, earning first place with a time of 25:15.36. His first place time in the 8k bested his previous personal record by nearly five seconds. (Becca Bridges)

Seniors Daniel Smith and Issac Benz finished first and second in the men’s 8k race, while junior Ryan Brown rounded out the top three. In total, the Mountaineers finished the event occupying five spots in the top 10. The seven runners on the team completed the event with a total time of 2:08:087.1 and an average time of 25:37.41.

“This is definitely good going into Louisville in a few weeks,” Smith said in an interview posted on the team’s Twitter account.

Senior Izzy Evely finished fourth overall in the women’s 5k event with a time of 17:29.08, earning four points for the women’s team. In total, four Mountaineers placed in the top 10, with senior Macki Walsh and sophomore Lila Peters finishing in sixth and seventh, while freshman Jasmine Donohue came across the finish line in ninth. The team finished the event with a time of 1:28.22.66 and an average time of 17:40.54.

“The ladies executed well,” head coach Michael Curcio said in an interview posted on the team’s Twitter account.

Both teams travel to Louisville, Kentucky, to compete in the Live in Lou Cross Country Classic Oct. 2.

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About the Contributors

Alex McCaskey, Reporter

Alex McCaskey (he/him) is a senior electronic media/broadcasting major, political science minor, from Cornelius, NC. This is his second year with The Appalachian.