Topoly, Stubblefield Sweep Top Spots at NCW

Cross Country | 9/4/2021 11:39:00 AM

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. Drew Topoly and Caroline Stubblefield ran to individual medalist honors in the men's and women's races, respectively, Saturday morning at the North Carolina Wesleyan (College) Cross Country Classic.

The Monarch men also captured the team title placing all five scoring runners within the top 10, including the first four places.

THE ESSENTIALS
Event: N.C. Wesleyan XC Classic (men: 8K, women: 6K)
Team scores, men: 1st – Methodist, 20 points, 2nd – Frances Marion University, 41 pts., 3rd – N.C. Wesleyan, 60 pts.
Team scores, women: 1st – Francis Marion, 33 pts., 2nd – N.C. Wesleyan, 43 pts., 3rd – Agnes Scott College, 48 pts.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Methodist dominated the front of the pack in the men's 8K, led by Topoly's winning time of 26 minutes, 11.51 seconds.
The spread between Topoly and Xavier McLamb (second, 28:27.49), Will Gray (third, 28:41.65) and fourth-place Noah Carter (29:14.20) was barely over three minutes, while Austin Ezzell claimed 10th place with a time of 31:10.80.
Newcomers Jackson Barriger (32:31.82) and Armelius Haynes (35:03.65) finished in 14th and 17th place, respectively.
Though Methodist only had two Monarchs in the women's 6K, the duo of Stubblefield and Madison Pompey made their marks with Stubblefield (26:40.34) cruising to a 37-second victory over the runner-up and Pompey running to a fifth-place finish in a time of 28:38.77.