Hogs' 34-year streak snapped

Women take SEC individual, team titles

By: Matt Watson

Posted: 11/5/08

After dominating the cross country landscape at the conference level for almost three and a half decades, the No. 26 Razorbacks took the bronze at the Southeastern Conference Championships Monday in head coach Chris Bucknam's league debut.

No. 5 Alabama, became the first school to win an SEC title since the Hogs joined the conference for the 1991 cross country season. All of the Tide's five scoring runners finished in the top 10, tallying 32 points for the lowest winning point total since Arkansas's 21 in 2006.

No. 11 Auburn came in second with 62 points, and Arkansas finished with 75 points.

Despite the Razorbacks' first ever loss at the SEC championships, Bucknam was not disappointed by the team's effort.

"Our kids ran a valiant race," Bucknam said. "They went out and tried to win it. I'm so proud of them and the effort they put forth."

"I think we have more to show and we have another race to go."

Senior Scott MacPherson led the Hogs once again with an eighth place finish to earn his third career All-SEC nomination.

"We left everything we had on the course," MacPherson said. "Alabama is a great team, definitely one of the best in the nation. We can hold our heads high losing to a team like that.

"It's unfortunate the streak has to come to an end. None of us wanted that but we ran our hearts out and did everything we could to keep it alive."

Andy McClary finished 11th overall, followed by Alex McClary at 17th and Michael Chinchar right behind him at 18th. Freshman Eric Fernandez rounded out the scoring five at 21st in his first conference run.

"Scott [MacPherson] was fearless and that's what you have to be in this league. Eric [Fernandez] learned a lesson today," Bucknam said. "He went out with the lead pack and raced hard but he couldn't hold on in the end. He'll bounce back because he's a talented athlete. The McClary brothers ran great; Michael Chinchar ran really well. We had some guys step up today."

Arkansas will have a chance to make a statement Nov. 15 at the NCAA South Central Regional Championships, where they will face off again against No. 18 Texas A&M, who won the Chile Pepper meet in Fayetteville. The top two teams at the regional meet will automatically advance to the national title field.

Women sweep titles

Sophomore Catherine White's first-place finish led No. 13 Arkansas to its third consecutive conference title and 13th in 18 years.

With 46 points, the Razorbacks fended off No. 14 Florida, which scored 53 points. The seven-point margin was the smallest by an SEC champion since 2005, when Arkansas finished just three points behind Tennessee.

"Florida has a great team this year, but we answered the call," head coach Lance Harter said. "It was by no means a perfect race for us, except maybe for [White]. She was absolutely brilliant."

White's personal best 6K time of 20:07 was good enough for the school's 11th individual SEC title since joining the conference in 1991.

"This feels great. I'm so thankful I could come out here today and run my best," White said. "I started rolling with about 4K to go, didn't look back and I took advantage of it."

With their respective fourth- and eighth-place finishes, seniors Denise Bargiachi and Christine Kalmer were both named to the all-conference list for the fourth straight year.

Jillian Rosen and Dacia Perkins rounded out the scoring five at 16th and 17th, respectively.

Arkansas will travel to Waco, Texas, on Nov. 15 for the NCAA South Central Regional Championships, where it will vie for a bid to nationals at the end of the month.