by CORY WATSON
Sports Reporter

There have been few occasions in which a team was in more need of a can of bug spray.

Facing near 100 percent humidity and seemingly endless clouds of gnats, the Appalachian State University men’s and women’s cross country teams were able to secure solid finishes in Friday’s Covered Bridge Open at State Farm Field.

Anthony Famiglietti, Appalachian alumnus and 2008 USA olympic team member, shoots the starting gun for the men's Covered Bridge Open Friday evening. Photo by James Fay

The men’s team finished 3rd behind visiting teams Florida State University and Queens University of Charlotte while the women’s team came away with a 2nd place finish.

“We just weren’t prepared for this kind of weather,” head coach Mike Curcio said.
Curcio said he was disappointed with the finish for the men but noted he had a better idea of where his team stood.  He also noted the limited amount of training the team had to focus on conditioning. 

Junior Joshua Houser was the first to cross the line for the Mountaineers with a time of 26:20. 
Houser came across the line in 9th place. 

Curcio said Houser ran well but “ran out of gas toward the end.”

Michael Walker, Desta Asmeron, Phil Mitchell and Sean Soderman rounded out the top five finishing Mountaineers.  Each of them finished in the top 20. 

For the women, the results were closer to Curcio’s satisfaction.

“The women finished about where we expected them to,” Curcio said about the 2nd place result. 

Also finishing behind FSU, the women’s cross country team garnered a total of 74 points.  The first to cross the line for the Mountaineers was returning runner Meghan Gaffney with a time of 19:00.  Despite her 7th place finish, Gaffney said she wasn’t comfortable with her time.

“I’m not too happy. But it’s a start,” Gaffney said. “It’s my first time running like this in two years.”

Gaffney, who missed last season with a knee injury, said she struggled during the second mile of the race. 

“I really tried to hang with that front group,” she said. “But I couldn’t.”

Gaffney was one of three Mountaineers who secured top-20 finishes.  Sophomore runner Charlotte Walsh crossed the line with a time of 19:25 in 13th place followed shortly after by senior Hannah Parks in 17th place. 

Parks finished with a time of 19:48. 

To add excitement to the beginning of the season for the Mountaineers, Beijing Olympian Anthony Famiglietti was the honorary starter for the first men’s race of the season. 

Famiglietti, who attended Appalachian a decade ago, had originally planned to run in the meet, but was unable because of travel issues and fatigue. 

He credited Curcio for helping him reach the level he has athletically. 

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