NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State’s Lawana Perkins claimed her second individual title this season while the Louisiana-Monroe women and the Louisiana Tech men were the team champions Monday afternoon in the annual NSU Invitational cross country meet at the Demon Hills Golf Course.
Perkins, who captured the Mook 4 Invitational crown at Ruston last month, cruised across the finish line covering 6,000 meters in 24:03.84, ahead of ULM’s Denise Myers (24:11.56) and Lady Demon teammate Ali Fontenot (24:18.54). Also notching a top 10 individual place for NSU was Aly Coughlin, seventh in 25:09.59.
The men’s individual winner was Mutai Daniel of ULM, finishing the 8,000 meter course in 24:31.49, 84 seconds ahead of the runner-up, Warhawks teammate Sila Chipchumb (25:55.99). The Demons got another top 10 performance from junior Mark Dotson, eighth in 26:55.14.
The ULM women held off Northwestern 30-40, with Grambling third at 88, followed by Centenary (104), Louisiana Tech (117) and Louisiana College (178).
In the men’s team scoring, Louisiana Tech was low with 38, followed by Lincoln Parish neighbor Grambling (56), ULM (57), Northwestern (91), Centenary (129) and Louisiana College (187).
The ULM women had five of the top nine times to earn the team crown. Louisiana Tech’s top runner was Josh Slockum in fourth (26:21.12), but the Bulldogs had three more top 10 finishes to power their victory.
The Lady Demons completed their scoring with Kirstie Jones (13th, 26:30.55) and Consuela Lindsy (16th, 26:58.35). Also running for the NSU women were Constance Seibles (17th, 27:06.20), Becca Meehan (19th, 27:52.78), Shana Lee (27:58.73), Sarah Emory (28:37.43), Erin Knox (26th, 28:56.34) and Tammy Taylor (34th, 30:57.31).
Along with Dotson, the Northwestern men’s scorecard included Alex Hebert (17th, 28:27.96), Chris Lanier (20th, 28:46.90), Travis Plumb (22nd, 29:02.69) and Zach Burns (24th, 29:07.27). Other NSU finishers were Albert Gladney (25th, 29:38.32), John Broughton (26th, 29:43.84), Nathanial McReynolds (29th, 30:51.49), Matt Rodell (31st, 31:38.66), and Kyle Lessig (32nd, 31:38.67).
The Demons and Lady Demons will next run in the Centenary Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 15. They will host the Demon Invitational on Oct. 21 before the Southland Conference Championships conclude the season on Oct. 31 in Nacogdoches, Texas.