October 15, 2010
By Kevin Buczek, St. Andrews Sports Information Director

Results
Printer Friendly PDF

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Senior James Walls broke the 27-minute barrier for the first time to lead the St. Andrews Presbyterian College men’s cross country team to a fifth place finish out of 12 teams in the Navy Race of the 2010 Royal Cross Country Challenge at McAlpine Creek Park Friday afternoon.

Senior James Walls (pictured) notched a new 8k PR on Friday leading SAPC at the Royal Challenge.

Walls earned a spot in the winner’s circle with his 26 minute and 55 second performance on the same course that will host the 2010 Conference Carolinas Championship. Walls placed 3rd overall. A total of 95 harriers toed the start line in the Navy Race. Walls shattered his collegiate 8k personal record time by 32 seconds.

The Bear Creek, N.C., product has led SAPC in all four endurance races in 2010. Walls has recorded three consecutive top-3 finishes over the last month.

St. Andrews captured fifth place with 147 points. NCAA Division I foe UNC Greensboro won the team title with 30 points. NAIA power Montreat College (88) took runner-up hardware while DII Southeast Region ranked No. 3 Mars Hill College (113) and No. 4 Mount Olive College (144) secured third and fourth place, respectively.

SAPC defeated seven Southeast Region rivals including Catawba College (163), Wingate University (177), Carson-Newman College (182), Pfeiffer University (188), Francis Marion University (217), Coker College (225), and North Greenville University (228).

Josh Pickett (Asheville, N.C.) followed Walls to the finish line, recording his fastest 8k time of his senior season. Pickett earned a top-25 finish, placing 24th overall with a blazing speed of 28:38.

Senior classmates Doug Holt (Haddonfield, N.J.) and Tommy Wilson (Salisbury, N.C.) completed the race within 10 seconds of each other. Holt seized 33rd with a time of 29:01 while Wilson took 37th with a PR time of 29:11.

Freshman Caleb Mitcler (Green Mountain, N.C.) was one of four St. Andrews runners to post a season-best time at the Royal Challenge. Mitcler completed the Knights team scoring with a PR time of 34:03.

St. Andrews will conclude the regular season portion of its schedule next Friday, October 22 at the Second Annual Mount Olive Invitational.

St. Andrews (8k, 95 runners)
3. James Walls (26.55.0)
24. Josh Pickett (28:38.9)
33. Doug Holt (29:01.6)
37. Tommy Wilson (29:11.0)
90. Caleb Mitcler (34:03.4)