Cross Country Wraps Up Season at HVIAC Championships

MILTON, N.Y.—Junior Thomas Rushin (Ococee, Fla./Ococee) and freshman Rebecca Ramirez (Woodhaven, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) were the top finishers for the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) men's and women's cross country teams as they wrapped up their 2014 seasons at the Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships held at the Hudson Valley Sportsdome on Sunday afternoon.

Rushin claimed medalist honors with a 13th place finish overall in the field of 43 men's runners, covering the 8-kilometer course in 33:54. Following the junior were sophomore Matthew Smith (Brooklyn, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) and senior Chris Labady (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) in 29th and 30th overall and seniors Dickson Tan (Brooklyn, N.Y./East-West School of International Studies) and Clyde Delacruz (Brooklyn, N.Y./Frederick Douglas Academy II) finishing in 41st and 42nd completing the scoring for the 4th place Bears.

Rookie Ramirez led the Lady Bears for the fifth straight meet and finished in 25th place overall with a time of 25:27. Fellow rookie Katie Wenzler (Maspeth, N.Y./Archbishop Molloy) crossed the line second just over two minutes behind Ramirez in 36th place while senior Lauren Conter (Glendale, N.Y./Archbishop Molloy), senior Ilana Heidel (Brooklyn, N.Y./Millennium) and junior Laura Innocente (Staten Island, N.Y./St. John Villa) finished 42nd, 43rd and 46th to round out the scoring five for the Lady Bears who finished in sixth place.

Yeshiva University captured the men's team title for the fifth straight year, while Albany College of Pharmacy took home the women's title for the first time since 2009.