Oct. 7, 2006
TEMPE, Ariz. - The 21st Arizona State University Invitational was held Saturday morning at Kiwanis Park in Tempe with the nine women's and 11 men's teams competing in the Sun Devils' lone home competition of the year. In the women's meet, a group of Sun Devil alums won the team title with 36 points while the current ASU squad finished third overall (80 points). The men's race also saw the alums fare well, placing second (65 points) behind Arizona (40 points) with the current Sun Devils finishing fourth overall (108 points).
The women's 5K race was won by ASU Alum/Uff is Tough runner Amy Hastings as the former three-time All-American covered the course in 17:48.1. Sereena Harmon was the top Sun Devil finisher as she placed fifth overall in 18:44.1. Harmon was followed across the line by Jenny Cohen, who finished 12th in 19:20.8, Jocelyn Buras (14th in 19:34.6), Jessie McLaughlin (16th in 19:40.3) and Jenn Schraven (39th in 21:23.1). Samantha Knobbe also competed for the Sun Devils, finishing 51st in 22:07.6. Meet winner Hastings was followed in the race by Anna Masinelli (second in 17:56.8), Lisa Galaviz (third in 18:16.9), Mary Duerbeck (sixth in 18:58.3) and Colleen Epstein (26th in 20:14.3).
The men's 8K run, which was won by Arizona's Robert Cheseret in 24:23.9, saw David Mehlhorn complete the course in 25:17.2 to finish seventh overall as the top finisher for the Sun Devils. He was followed by the squad's Top 5 scorers David Gott (16th in 25:42.5), Jack Mann (18th in 25:46.9), Brent Wood (40th in 26:50.5) and Max Baecker (43rd in 26:55.6). Ross Blahnik also represented the current Sun Devils, finishing 60th in 27:56.5.
The ASU Alums/Uff is Tough team was led by Roger Cahill, who took fifth overall in 25:04.4 while Casey Burchill was right behind him in sixth place in 25:12.9. Also competing for the alumnus group were Fasil Bizuneh (13th in 25:31.8), Juan Reyes (14th in 25:39.4), Ronnie Buchanan (34th in 26:33.0), Matt Repak (53rd in 27:32.2), Dan Maher (60th in 28:00.1), Ari Rodriguez (78th in 29:38.7), Manuel Puebla (92nd in 32:25.9), current assistant coach Jeremy Rasmussen (96th in 33:53.3) and JR Cox (99th in 36:06.4).
The "Uff is Tough" moniker refers to former Sun Devil runner Joe Uff and his current battle with cancer. After competing for the Maroon and Gold, Uff was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2004 and since has had three operations and chemotherapy treatments to battle the disease. Last week (Oct. 1) in Aston, Pa., the Uff is Tough Run/Walk was held to help raise funds to support Uff in his quest for a cure. For more information on the Uff is Tough run and to make donations to assist Uff, visit: http://www.delcosportsclub.com/uff_is_tough_
A pair of meets await the Sun Devils next weekend as several men and women head to Terre Haute, Ind., Saturday morning for the NCAA Pre-National Meet while the remaining members of the team return to Kiwanis Park for Mesa Community College's Canyon West Classic.