by Benny Benton
BELMONT, N.C. – The Barton College men's cross country team finished seventh in a nine-team field at the 2014 Conference Carolinas Championships, which was hosted by Belmont Abbey College on Friday at Frank Liske Park.
The Bulldogs improved two spots from a year ago, edging Lees-McRae College by two points (185 to 187) and defeating Erskine by 20 points (205). Barton lost sixth place by a single point to the host Crusaders (184).
Nationally-ranked No. 10 University of Mount Olive placed all five counting runners among the top nine to claim its third straight league title with 25 points, edging second-place King University, which had three top-10 finishers and 43 points. Limestone College was a distant third with 115.
North Greenville University, led by meet champion Ahmad Nesbitt's 24:57.1, was fourth with 139, one point better than Pfeiffer University.
Junior transfer Lashley Winter, competing in his first conference meet, led Barton with a 19th place finish on a time of 27:54.3. Winter has paced the Bulldogs in all six meets this year.
Sophomore Tyler Amerson was next for the Royal Blue and White in 27th with a time of 28:26.4, an improvement of more than two minutes over his effort on the same course last season as a freshman.
Fellow sophomores Luar Mercado Lopez (29:32.2) and Adam Pope (29:51) placed 47th and 51st respectively, with senior Daniel Strutton (29:51.2) crossing the line just two-tenths of a second behind Pope in 52nd. The time for Strutton was his best in the league meet since his freshman season in 2011.
A trio of freshmen finished consecutively in their first league test, with Cody Warner (31:36.30) placing 68th followed by Garrett Farmerie (31:43.1) and Sebaston Barrett (32:22.2) in 69th and 70th, respectively.
The Bulldogs will compete in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional on Saturday, Nov. 22, in Montevallo, Ala. The race, which will determine the individual and team qualifiers for the NCAA Division II National Championship, will be 10K in length for the men. Barton finished 14th among 16 squads in the Falcon Classic, an 8K race held on the same course three weeks ago.
Conference Carolinas Championships Results (8K)
1. University of Mount Olive (25)
2. King University (43)
3. Limestone College (115)
4. North Greenville University (139)
5. Pfeiffer University (140)
6. Belmont Abbey College (184)
7. Barton College (185)
8. Lees-McRae College (187)
9. Erskine College (205)
Barton Men's Results
27:54.3 – Lashley Winter (19th/77)
28:26.4 – Tyler Amerson (27th)
29:32.2 – Luar Mercado Lopez (47th)
29:51.0 – Adam Pope (51st)
29:51.2 – Daniel Strutton (52nd)
31:36.3 – Cody Warner (68th)
31:43.1 – Garrett Farmerie (69th)
32:22.2 – Sebaston Barrett (70th)
