FRESNO, Calif. – Stanford opened its' cross country season at the Fresno State Invitational on Friday morning, taking a controlled approach to a meet that was marred by poor air quality.
The Cardinal used the men’s and races as tempo workouts, running in packs and hitting specific splits. The meet was scored as a series of duals, with Cal Poly beating the Stanford men, 24-33, and beating the Cardinal women, 23-33. Six teams competed in the men’s race and eight in the women’s at Woodward Park.
The seven Cardinal men all finished within four seconds of each other, clocking between 18:34-18:38 over 6 kilometers (3.7 miles). Joe Rosa and Thomas Coyle were the highest finishers, in sixth and seventh, both in 18:34.
In the women’s race, Stanford's seven runners finished within 20 seconds of each other, between eighth and 19th place. Molly McNamara and Aisling Cuffe, were eighth and ninth, respectively, with each clocking 14:38 for the 4.2-kilometer (2.6 miles) distance. It was Cuffe’s first cross country race since finishing fourth at the 2013 NCAA cross country championships.
Stanford did not use any freshmen, men or women.
Those making their collegiate debut after redshirt seasons were Steven Fahy and Patrick Perrier, who finished 12th and 13th, respectively, in 18:36 and 18:37.
The races were run despite smoky air blown from the Rough Fire, which continues to expand east of Fresno and has consumed more than 119,000 acres of forest land. The sun appeared orange and the air took on a grayish color.
A Fresno State women’s soccer match scheduled for Friday night was postponed and high school football games throughout Central Valley were canceled.
Stanford had arrived directly from a 10-day training camp at Mammoth Lakes, at more than 7,800 feet in elevation, and returned to campus Friday afternoon.
The Cardinal competes next at the Stanford Invitational on Sept. 26 at the Stanford Golf Course. The team’s only home event this year begins at 9 a.m. with the first of 12 high school races. The college races are scheduled for 9:50 a.m. (women’s) and 10:30 (men’s).
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Fresno State Invitational
At Woodward Park
Individual results (Winners and Stanford runners)
Men (6K, 3.7 miles)
1, Swarnjit Boyal (Cal Poly) 18:09. Stanford: 6, Joe Rosa 18:34; 7, Thomas Coyle 18:34; 10, Cameron Miller 18:36; 11, Jack Keelan 18:36; 12, Steven Fahy 18:36; 13, Patrick Perrier 18:37; 14, Garrett Sweatt 18:38.
Women (4.2K, 2.6 miles)
1, Annemarie Schwanz (unattached) 14:13. Stanford: 8, Molly McNamara 14:38; 9, Aisling Cuffe 14:38; 11, Danielle Katz 14:39; 12, Abbie McNulty 14:43; 14, Megan Lacy 14:47; 15, Claire Howlett 14:50; 19, Sophie Chase 14:58.