Men's team found way to overcome troubles

The Michigan men's cross country team entered the year with questions about how would they replace Kevin Sullivan. But just like every other time adversity surrounded the Wolverines, they found a way to succeed.

All year, the team wanted to win the Big Ten Championship. The race was in Ann Arbor, and Michigan coach Ron Warhurst celebrated his 25th year of coaching.

Former runners including Olympic captain and medalist Brian Diemer, among others, were there. All-America senior John Mortimer was injured, yet managed to finish third in the race. Mortimer once said that running in Ann Arbor on Warhurst's anniversary was the reason he decided to run this year, rather than redshirt.

Fellow senior All-America Todd Snyder turned in his best race up to date, finishing fifth. But the stars of the day were Steve Lawrence and Jay Cantin.

Lawrence finished in 11th and Cantin in 12th. The two kept the team together. They paced other runners and beat other teams' third and fourth runners.

The day was also special for the Wolverines' fifth place runner, senior Don McLaughlin, who finished in 19th place. Like Lawrence and Cantin, McLaughlin beat every other team's fifth place runner. But for Lawrence, it was the last time that he would run with Snyder in Ann Arbor.

The two had been teammates in high school. They won the state title together at Ann Arbor Pioneer and both came to Michigan for days like these.

Michigan's sixth-place runner, Mike Wisniewski, finished in 33rd, good enough to beat second-place Michigan State's fifth-place runner. Wisniewski managed to save the team very important points.

One goal set. One goal met.

The Wolverines best runner, Mortimer, could not run in the NCAA regional race because of injury but again the team managed to overcome adversity.

Snyder finished in second place and freshman Mark Pilja, who ran in place of Mortimer, also stepped up.

Pilja finished in 29th place and helped the team insure a bid to the NCAA Championships in Lawrence, Kan. The team finished in second place behind Michigan State. Considering the circumstances, the team was ecstatic.

More adversity. Another hero.

The team went to Kansas knowing that their best runner would run. Mortimer was still injured but had practiced through the pain and was determined to run. The team wanted to come home with something, and since only the top four teams receive trophies, another goal was set.

The No. 8 Wolverines went to Kansas with their best runner - and more importantly - confidence. They finished in fourth place. Once again, Snyder stepped up, finishing in 10th place. More amazingly was Mortimer. An injured Mortimer finished in 31st place. Any other race, he wouldn't have run.

The Wolverines found a way to succeed. If it was a freshman runner, or a senior All-American, the team managed to make coach Warhurst's 25th anniversary a special one.

11-30-98