History-Making Season Opener At Home
The Cobbers were led by a pair of veterans in the first-ever cross country meet at Concordia.
MOORHEAD, Minn. (9/02/16)—It was picture-perfect setting for the first-ever cross country meet on Concordia's campus. The Cobbers and Minn.-Morris made history by racing around the outdoor athletic complex on a 5k course.
While Morris senior Chalmer Combellick pulled away at the end for the individual event win it was a pair of Cobber veterans who posted third and fourth-place finishes to showcase an improved CC squad. Morris won the dual meet by recording eight of the top 10 finishes and claimed the 21-40 victory.
Junior Brandon Quibell and senior Matthew Lillehaugen crossed the line within 1.5 seconds of each other and claimed third and fourth place. Quibell led for the first half of the race but then slowed towards the end and completed the course in 17:08.00.
"Coming around on the second lap and heading into the wind I just wanted to stick behind the Morris kid," said Quibell. "Five steps into the corner he basically gapped me and I was shot by then."
The third-place finish marks the second straight year that Quibell has led the team in the opening meet of the year. Last season he was fourth at Jamestown.
Lillehaugen, an Academic All-American last year, legged out a fourth-place finish. He stayed even with Quibell in the lead pack at the start and then held on to post a time of 17:09.5.
Quibell and Lillehaugen were the only two Cobbers in the top 10 of the race but senior Will Corbett and freshman Olsen Pancoast were 11th and 12th to help Concordia in the team scoring total. Corbett ran an 18:29.7 and Pancoast came after with a mark of 18:45.5.
Brendan Johnson rounded out the Top 5 for Concordia. He placed 17th in a time of 19:00.8.
Concordia will stay in town for their next meet when they compete in the MSU Moorhead Twilight Meet on Friday, Sept. 9 at 8:45 p.m. at the Tri-City soccer complex.
Brandon Quibell Post Meet Interview
