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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2005
'Hawks aim to prove ranking
Tourney berth goal of race
BY ANTONIO MENDOZA
amendoza@kansan.com
KANNSAN SPORTWRITER
The No. 13-ranked Jayhawks will strive to show they've earned their ranking when they race for the Big 12 Championship title tomorrow in Waco, Texas.
Last season Benson Chesang won the men's singles Big 12 Championship with a time of 24:07.
Second place went to Brent Vaughn of Colorado, who had a time of 24:08. Both Chesang and Vaughn are returning juniors.
"Everybody now is looking at me and obviously some people will be scared of me," Chesang said.
country team there with his older brother Mathew, who finished third last season with a time of 24:12 but will not race this season because he has used all his eligibility.
Chesang, an Eldama Ravine, Kenya native, said he was originally planning to attend Kansas State and to be on the cross
Chesang
"It's always bittersweet, man." Chesang said. "I know I am racing against my brother. I used to try to pull him to run with me together. I didn't think it felt that different, but it's definitely nice and good running."
Last season Kansas took fourth overall behind Colorado, Texas and Oklahoma State. Colorado has won the tournament for six consecutive seasons. Colorado, Texas and Oka-
homa are all ranked this season:
Colorado at third, Texas only one
spot ahead of Kansas at 12th and
Oklahoma State at 25th.
"I think our whole team has a target, and our goal is to go in and do our best," cross country coach Stanley Redwine said. "We're taking it as a team effort, if we win as a team we win as a team, if we lose we lose as a team."
The men's 8K race is set to start at 10 a.m. and the women's 6K race is set to start at 11 a.m.
Last season the women's team finished 10th overall.
All schools in the Big 12 will be running for the title of Big 12 Champion.
"As a team we're real excited to go into conference and show what we're capable of doing," sophomore Colby Wissel said. "We feel like we are going to have a great race down there. We're excited to get down there and get going."
Kansas can have an automatic National Championship berth by winning on Friday. The winner of the conference meet will automatically be qualified.
Chesang, an Eldama Ravine, Kenya, native said he was originally planning to attend Kansas State and to be on the cross country team there with his older brother Mathew, who finished third last season with a time of 24:12 but will not race this season because he has used all his eligibility.
The roar of the crowd
Fans boycotted the Legia Warszawa soccer game in Poland on Wednesday after the club banned six fans. Supporters applauded their players from outside the stadium during the Palau cup game.
Czarek Sokolowski/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
— Edited by Erin Wisdom
AT THE TOP OF THE HILL