Jefferson P. Nolan
jnolan@mustangdaily.net
In the 2012 cross country season, true freshman Laura Hollander raised more than a few people’s eyebrows.
After shattering multiple course records, being named Big West Women’s Athlete of the Year, Big West Freshman of the Year and to the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Association All-American team, there were many expectations set for the young runner from Huntington Beach.
But it wasn’t until the Mt. SAC Relays on Friday that Hollander made her debut for the track and field season, recording the West Region’s fifth best time in the 5,000 meter run. She finished third in the Olympic Development Elite Division, running a time of 15:53.
Cal Poly’s Hanna Edwards competed with Hollander during the 2012 cross country season. And now toward the end of conference meets, Edwards feels good to have her teammate back in the race.
“When (Hollander) steps on the line, she’s so focused and determined,” Edwards said. “She comes out so aggressive when she races. She’s just so determined in her goals and in accomplishing them, so I think that’s really what gets her to where she is.”
In addition to Hollander’s third-place performance, Edwards emerged victorious in her section of the 1,500 in a personal-best time of 4:33:03.
“It’s been a year when everyone’s stepped up and committed to the program, to our season and to all of our goals,” Edwards said. “Since it’s a pretty young team, we’re just looking forward to working together and progressing throughout the year. It’s been a lot of fun and a lot of hard work.”
For the men’s team on Thursday, freshman Nick Woolf and sophomore Kyle Lynch also competed in the 1,500. Woolf finished with a time of 3:55, while Lynch recorded a time of 3:59.
Michael Johnson finished the 10,000 in 10th place with a time of 30:19 and Mitch Moriarty clocked in at 31:16.
During Friday’s competition, junior Blake Ahrold placed 28th in the 5,000 meter Open A race, improving on his best time set last year. Senior Chris Frias and junior Sean Davidson recorded times of 14:13 and 14:17 and finished in fourth and ninth place, respectively.
In the men’s pole vault competition, senior John Prader finished second when he cleared the 16-foot, 10.75-inches bar. On the women’s side, Danielle Bryan cleared 5 feet, 5 inches in the pole vault and placed 13th.
Junior John Guerrero placed 13th in the 800 with a time of 1:51, prompting director of track and field/cross country Mark Conover to call Guerrero the model of hard work his team has put into preparation for each meet.
“He’s a great example of someone who’s come in and adapted very well to the training,” Conover said. “He’s raised the training load, has done outstanding academically and he’s competing at a very high level.”
At the Bryan Clay Invitational, the Cal Poly throwers competed at Azusa Pacific. Sophomore Brian Hutchison claimed a seventh-place finish as his shot put mark fell at 51 feet, 5 inches. But in Saturday’s Long Beach Invitational, Hutchison improved his distance mark to 52 feet, 7.50 inches. He finished 34th in the competition.
Guerrero and the rest of the track and field squad will train this week in preparation as the Mustangs look onward to hosting a dual meet with UC Santa Barbara on Saturday.
“For cross country, we’ll all run as a group,” Guerrero said. “But now, it’s different. For me, it’s all faster stuff. It’s race pace.”