Cody Jones: Vikings Relish Once-in-a-Decade Event in Home Conference Meet

The last time Portland State hosted the Big Sky Conference meet in 2008, the entirety of the cross country team was under the age of ten. Many hadn't even discovered running yet, and Coach Seitz was starting his own college running career.

Back in 2008, both teams ran at Blue Lake Regional Park and finished second to last in the Big Sky Conference. Thirteen years later, the Portland State cross country team has gone through a transformation with a clear mission from Coach Hepburn and Coach Seitz, who took over the reins of the program in 2017. The mission has been to steadily improve over the last four years in order to become a team that has national-caliber talent as a team and as individuals.

The coaching staff has built a program that has bought into this mission, and the opportunity to host the 2021 Big Sky Conference meet allows for everyone to see all the hard work that has been done to transform the program over the last four years.

The Vikings' conference squads left the Park Blocks on race morning with that quiet confidence that has been growing with every good workout and race throughout the season. As opposed to years past, the team seemed calm, like it was just another meet, and that they were ready to perform.

Once at Meriwether National Golf Course in Hillsboro, the team got a true sense of the amount of friends and family that were going to be out on the course cheering and spurring them on. Green was a popular color on the Vikings home course as members of other Viking teams, athletic department staff, old team members, and Viking family made the trip to the golf course to see the Vikings run.

With Freddie Mercury bellowing "We Will Rock You" in the background, the women's field did the last of their strides, did their pre-race huddle, and stood at the line ready for the gun to officially start the Big Sky Cross Country Championships.

The Viking women were off and determined to shake it up with the conference leaders. The Viks started off somewhat timid, but as they progressed through the five-kilometer course, the Vikings gained strength with each step. In fact, the Viking women went from sixth, to fifth, to fourth, to third by the time everyone crossed the finish line.

Katie Camarena led the way, crossing the line fourth place overall in a new school-record time of 16 minutes, 35 seconds. After Katie, it was clear that the Viking women know how to run as a pack as a strong group of five ran together to really help the team secure that third-place finish.

The pack of five consisted of Hunter Storm in 20th, Liza Sajn in 22nd, Abi Swain in 23rd, Maya Irving in 30th, and Natalia Martino in 36th. The pack of five runners were only separated by 27 seconds, which gives a hint to how the team may perform at the NCAA West Regional in two weeks, if the quintet can find a way to run together again.

Not long after the women were done tightly embracing one another and giving each other high-fives, it was the men's turn to show off in front of the home crowd.

The men started the race with a vengeance, many getting out harder than in previous races this season. Jordan MacIntosh put himself at the back of the lead pack early and tried to keep contact as the All-American talent up front attempted to string out the race.

The men fought their way over the eight-kilometer course but about five-kilometers into the race, it was clear that the goal of getting fifth or better in the Big Sky was going to be a lot closer than expected. Teammates cheering the team on realized that the men were behind in points and yelled at the conference squad to find another gear to pass anyone they could.

Josh Snyder and Dom Morganti could see what needed to be done and both put in efforts to make up the deficit. Dom especially put in a surge in order to get in front of two Idaho Vandals, working to use his own advice of being "merciless" on the course. Dom, Josh, and the rest of the Viking men did what they could in the latter half of the race but it wasn't enough to finish top five in the conference. Instead, the Vikings finished sixth, 11 points out of fifth.

The mood was somber for the Viking men after the race. They weren't disappointed, per se, but they knew they were better. Teammates embraced and congratulated one another on the effort but there was an unspoken yearning for a better finish, heavy in the air. As Seitz reflected after the race, "the effort was there for the men but the execution was not."

The reality on paper is that the Viking men still made history. With Jordan finishing 14th to tie a program-best individual finish, and many other Vikings finishing the best they ever have in the Big Sky.

The Viking men didn't hang their heads for too long, as the success of the women's team, and the friends and family at the meet, quickly pulled the Vikings out of their performances so they could enjoy the atmosphere of their own Big Sky Conference Championships.

Over the next few days, both Viking squads put the excitement of the Big Sky Conference meet in the rearview mirror and set their eyes on the quickly approaching West Regional meet. The women know that nothing is guaranteed, but if they race as a team like they did at conference, then a program-best finish is possible for them. The men realized that with better execution, a better day can be had at the regional meet. Redemption is wanted by many on the team.

The Vikings will head to Haggin Oaks Golf Course on Nov. 12 for the NCAA West Regional. Before then, the Vikings will put the final touches on their fitness, but the preparation will be more mental as they await the day they have been preparing for since the early summer months. After countless miles, workouts, early mornings, and sacrifices, the Viks will look to show why it was all worth it and hopefully leave another mark in the history books.

Print Friendly Version