Paradise Valley National Champions

Nov. 8, 2008

Saturday, November 8th, 2008 - Relying on a formula that carried them to victory in three previous championships this season, the Paradise Valley Community College men’s cross country team won the National Junior College Athletic Association’s national cross country championship title Saturday in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The Pumas started conservatively and then ran through the championship course like a pack of wolves, eating up the course and the competition. Placing their top five runners between 16th and 28th places, Paradise Valley’s 33 second spread, from their first through fifth runners, left them with a score of 97 points to runner-up South Plains College’s 109.

“There is power in numbers”, said Coach Dave Barney, “When you see your whole team right there with you it gives you incredible strength! These guys go out there, find their teammates, and they start rolling! Once they get started, it’s hard to stop them!”

Leading the charge for the Pumas was sophomore Eric Harasyn who finished 16th overall with a time of 25:20 over the eight kilometer course. Finishing only two seconds behind Harasyn was freshman Tailhar Hasson. Hasson finished in 17th place with a time of 25:22. Following Hasson, the Pumas continued to pack in with George Alex in 21st (25:32), Aaron Sherf, 23rd (25:39), Jeremy Sudbury, 28th (25:53), Denis Patrick, 37th (26:12) and Marcos Bailon in 42nd (26:22).

“These guys were big-time today,” commented Barney, “They ran with poise, they ran with confidence, they ran their race! They’ve been believers all season long and they were believers today! Dreams do come true- they come true right here!” Saturday’s victory marks the second national title for the Pumas in five years, all seven of the PV men were named to the National Junior College Coaches Association All-American team and Coach David Barney was named NJCAA Men’s Cross Country National Division I Coach of the Year.

The Paradise Valley women also ran well at the national meet, finishing seventh overall with a score of 221 points. Iowa Central Community College won the meet for the second year in a row with a low score of 53 points.

“I’m pleased with our women’s team- we’ve got a squad of seven freshmen with very little experience”, said Barney, “We had a tough year last year- for us to come back and finish seventh is a big step in the right direction. You watch these girls, they’re going to be in the mix next year!”

The PV women were led by freshman Hailey Hanna who finished tenth place overall with a time of 18:41. Hanna was followed by Kacee Hildebrandt, 30th overall (19:37), Natalie Robinson, 39th(19:45), Erin Sesemann, 81st(20:43), Bobbi Ann Cooley, 90th(20:52), Megan Young, 93rd(20:54) and Charla Christopher, 106th(21:08). Hanna was named second-team NJCAA All-American, and both Hanna and Hildebrandt were named to the National Junior College Coaches Association All-American team.

2008 ACCAC All-Conference Team