Men's cross country team ready to run at national tournament Saturday

The Eastern Florida State College men's cross country team will compete for a national title Saturday morning in Huntsville, Alabama.

The Titans earned a spot in the NJCAA Division I National Championship Tournament by winning the Region 8 title in Tallahassee on Oct. 24. It will be the team's second straight appearance in the national tournament as the men's team finished 15th in their inaugural season last year.

"They love the course, I love the course," Eastern Florida State College men's cross country coach Doug Butler said. "Its wide open, it is an old golf course turned into a cross country only course and has a lot of room to pass, you don't have to get out like a mad man, it doesn't really narrow down at all."

Sophomore Dayton Law is back healthy and ready to make his second appearance in the national championship. Law is coming off a first-place finish where he finished in 26 minutes, 17.70 seconds.

Teammate Simon Devoss placed second in the Division I race with a time of 27:50.80 while Gabriel Garcia was fourth and Carter Vigneri placed fifth.

"He (Dayton) has been great, really fit right now and wants to finish well. The key is for the other guys to pack up and run like they are capable of," Butler said. "I expect to see big things from them. Anthony (Bergnes) ran really well up there last time, Matt (Weiler) is a workhorse who has worked his way into the top seven. He will push the group for sure."

The men come into the race ranked 21st in the nation in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association poll. The team fared well at the Southern Showcase in September that was also run at John Hunt Park in Huntsville, Alabama.

Saturday's national tournament men's race will begin at 9:30 a.m.