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Kisorio paces team with national championship

Kisorio paces team with national championship

Nationals Video

VANCOUVER, Wash. (Nov. 21, 2009) – Silas Kisorio won the eight-kilometer national cross country meet on Saturday morning to become Oklahoma Christian’s first cross country champion in school history and led the Eagles to a 14th place team finish overall.

Kisorio covered the eight-kilometer course in 24:23 to edge out McKendree University’s Carison Kemei for the victory in the final meters of the race. Kisorio held with the lead pack for the entire race and led for a considerable distance as well.

Kisorio’s title is the first in OC’s history and is his second of his career after winning the open 800-meter run at Outdoor Track Nationals in the spring. Kisorio surpassed Jordan Powell’s previous mark of fourth at the national meet in 2008 for the highest place by an OC athlete.

“My plan was to sit with the lead pack and kick it in at the finish,” said Kisorio. “My plans worked well and I am very happy to have won nationals. It is a great achievement for myself, my coach, and for Oklahoma Christian in general.”

Head coach Mark Thompson had a few words about Kisorio’s race as well. “Silas executed the game plan for today perfectly,” said Thompson. “Silas really dug deep up the last hill to put a small gap on Kemei and held it all the way to the line. It was a well deserved victory.”

Despite soggy and cold conditions, the Eagles placed 14th overall behind Kisorio’s first place finish. Geoffrey Njonjo was the second runner for the Eagles and placed 57th with a 26:11. Frezer Legesse (26:33) and David McWilliams (26:36) finished in 101st and 109th, respectively.

The Eagles’ fifth man was Joseph Zarazua who ran a 28:00 to place 252nd overall. Rounding out the Eagle runners, Andy Schmidt (28:27) finished in 269th and Brayden Barrientez (29:28) finished in 301st.

“Our team effort was there, but we didn’t have our best day,” said Thompson. “David was knocked down twice during the race, and Joseph and Andy both went down as well.  I was proud of them for getting on their feet quickly and finishing strong, but it definitely cost us.  We have next year to look forward to, and today was a learning experience.”

Competing for the Lady Eagles, Nicole Lair and Melyssa Cardenas raced individually claiming 83rd and 163rd respective finishes. Lair covered the five-kilometer distance in 19:43 with Cardenas finishing in 20:21.

“Nicole was the first SAC finisher today, which is a great accomplishment,” Thompson said. “She put everything she had into her last cross-country race as a Lady Eagle and it was an exclamation point to a great career.”

“I’m so glad Melyssa was here this year and able to gain experience at the National level. She continues to get better and better, and we’ll be looking to her as a leader next season,” said Thompson.

-OC-