Killer kick fuels win for Dunbar [Cross Country]
Alaska’s Trevor Dunbar yesterday led a spirited surge that nearly saw the 23rd-ranked Ducks upset the third-ranked cross country team in the country.
With a lap remaining Oregon and BYU had four runners in the top 10, but the Cougars pulled away over the final 1,000 meters to win the seventh annual Bill Dellinger Invitational in Springfield, Ore.
“We talked about this being like a college football game,” Dunbar told The Register-Guard. “We’re an underdog team hosting a powerhouse team at home, so there’s always the chance for the upset in the fourth quarter. We didn’t quite pull it off, but we at least gave it a shot.”
Dunbar, of Kodiak High fame, posted a winning time of 23:38 after a killer kick in the last 800.
The men’s field included 101 runners from Southern Utah, Washington, Gonzaga, Idaho, Seattle U and Massachusetts.
Dunbar is a two-time NCAA All-American in cross country. Last year he led the Ducks to the Pac-12 championship.