Lawrence will be important for repeat

LOUIS BROWN/Daily Don McLaughlin and the Michigan men's cross country team are trying to defend their Big Ten championship. To do so they will probably have to rely on a big performance from Steve Lawrence.

By Raphael Goodstein
Daily Sports Writer

The Michigan men's cross country team is going into this weekend's NCAA District meet with one goal on its mind - extending the season.

"We're going down there to qualify for nationals," said Michigan coach Ron Warhurst, recently voted the Big Ten coach of the year for the fourth time. "We're really just looking to nationals."

On Saturday the Wolverines will travel to Terre Haute, Ind., to try to defend last year's title. The team needs to finish in the top two to qualify for the NCAA Championships. Last year, Michigan finished with 22 points.

"We placed first, second, fourth, seventh, and eighth last year," said Warhurst. "That would be unbelievable if we could repeat that."

This race could possibly be the last race for senior All-Americans John Mortimer and Todd Snyder. But one key to this year's team has been Steve Lawrence. The junior has been the glue keeping the team a pack.

"Jay (Cantin) and Don (McLaughlin) key off of me. I give them a gauge of where they should be," Lawrence said. "The team should run as a group, and I help keep us together. I push the pace. Cantin and McLaughlin see me ahead and they know where they should be."

If Michigan is to keep its season alive, Lawrence will have to play his role to perfection.

Only this time, he will need to play it under the toughest conditions the team will face all year.

Districts are run on a 10 kilometer course rather than the eight-kilometer race that the Wolverines ran every other race on. What's more, like last year, snow is a likely possibility.

"It's a flatter course than here at Michigan," Lawrence said. "But it's a 10-kilometer at Nationals and Districts, not like every other meet we ran."

The Wolverines will run longer practices through the Arb to get used to the longer course.

"We have trained for the 10-kilometer race, so it won't be as big of a shock for us," Lawrence said. "We'll adjust well."

The Wolverines will try to repeat last week's Big Ten title performance. Even though they won the title, the Wolverines feel that they could run better.

"We came up a bit flat. There was a lot of pressure on the guys alums here and my 25th anniversary," Warhurst said. "Our workouts have been good. I hope it will carry over into this weekend."

11-12-98