Yellowjacket Harriers at Dickinson State Saturday (Sept. 24, 2003)

BILLINGS, MT – The MSU Billings cross-country team will take a break from running against Division I opponents this week when they travel to the Dickinson State Invitational Saturday.  The Yellowjackets will face Dickinson State and South Dakota Tech in Saturday’s meet.

“We have kind of a rivalry going with both Dickinson State teams,” said head coach Dave Coppock.  “We beat their women at South Dakota Tech, but it was only by two points so I think they’re probably out to get us on their own course.  Our men lost to Dickinson by ten points at the same meet, so I know our guys want to get them on their course.”

MSU Billings ran at the MSU-Bozeman Invitational last week.  The Lady Jackets were led by Chelsea Lynnes’s 14^th-place finish at the predominantly Division I meet.  Lynnes (Jr., Miles City, MT) finished the three-mile course in 19:28, holding off the Bobcats’ No.3 runner for 14^th place.  Anjel Hoff (Sr., Billings, MT) finished in 27^th place overall with a time of 20:16 and Tiffany Piplica (Fr., Riverton, WY) finished 34^th with a time of 20:53.

The Yellowjacket men were led by Scott Brown (So., Billings, MT) for the second week in a row.  Brown covered the 5.2-mile course in 30:18 for a 40^th-place finish.  Four Yellowjacket runners finished within a minute of each other.  Joe Kragt (Fr., Worden, MT) placed 42^nd in 30:38, Ryan Archibald (Jr., Missoula, MT) placed 44^th in 31:08, and Sam Hartpence (So., Custer, SD) placed 45^th in 31:24. 

“I think Chelsea has a chance to win the meet,” said Coppock.  “She’s got to be the favorite individual runner going into it, so it would be nice for her to come away with a win.  On the men’s side, Scott and Joe have really improved over the past few weeks.  Joe, as a freshman, is looking good lately.  Really, our first four guys are working really well together.”

The Dickinson State meet will be sandwiched between the meet in Bozeman and the Rocky Mountain Shootout at the University of Colorado on October 4.  The Yellowjackets will travel to Greeley for the Northern Colorado Invitational on October 11 before hosting the Yellowjacket Invitational on October 25.  Prior to the Yellowjacket Invitational, the cross-country team will be holding its annual fun run.  This year ExxonMobile is sponsoring the “Riverfront Ramble,” a 5K at Riverfront Park.