GREENSBORO, N.C. – Longwood women's cross country top runner Gracie Piekarski and men's cross country runner Leon Beard, Jr. each finished in the top half of runners to lead their respective teams Friday at Beeson Park in the High Point Vert Cross Country Invite.
 
In the women's event Piekarski beat out more than half of the field as the senior placed 86th in the field of 207 runners. Piekarski's time of 23:57.81 in the 6K event put the South Plainfield, N.J., native ahead of the pack for a fourth time this season and 11 times in the last 12 events dating back to last season. Piekarski has finished as the top runner for Longwood in each of the last 11 events finished, with the lone incomplete race in the stretch being at the Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational in September.
 
M.E. Lazorchak finished as one of the first two Lancers for the women to cross the finish line for a fifth consecutive meet with a time of 26:40.79. The freshman finished 189th and was immediately followed by senior Erica Mawyer, who completed the run at 26:48.03.
 
Beard finished as the top runner for Longwood's men, finishing at 100 in the field of 234 runners in the men's 8K event. Beard's time of 26:57.97 put the junior at the front of the pack for the men for a third consecutive meet.
 
Freshman William Verhappen finished at 186 with a time of 28:28.25. Verhappen finished second among the Lancer men for a fifth consecutive time to begin his career.
 
The next event for the Lancers is the Big South Championship, set for October 28 in Asheville, N.C., at the Asheville Christian Academy.
 
Women's Team Results
1. Duke (21:59.93 – 69 points)
2. Appalachian State (22:01.09 – 72 points)
3. Richmond (22:25.03 – 109 points)
4. College of Charleston (22:30.01 – 117 points)
5. High Point (22:42.92 – 147 points)
6. George Mason (22:54.45 – 176 points)
7. Campbell (22:51.23 – 187 points)
8. Marshall (23:06.77 – 205 points)
9. East Tennessee State (23:11.06 – 217 points)
10. Northern Kentucky (23:19.22 – 222 points)
11. Western Carolina (23:22.05 – 251 points)
12. Wofford (23:45.01 – 294 points)
13. VMI (24:14.84 – 350 points)
14. Radford (24:21.43 – 391 points)
15. Citadel (24:57.86 – 457 points)
16. Coastal Carolina (24:46.83 – 463 points)
17. Gardner-Webb (25:13.31 – 488 points)
18. Longwood (26:42.09 – 544 points)
19. Charleston Southern (26:29.95 – 550 points)
 
Longwood Women's Individual Results (6K, 207 participants)
86. Gracie Piekarski (23:57.81)
189. M.E. Lazorchak (26:40.79)
190. Erica Mawyer (26:48.03)
198. Miranda Wilson (28:01.82)
199. Madison Winters (28:01.97)
202. Anna Bultrowitcz (28:28.07)
 
Men's Team Results
1. George Mason (23:35.51 – 63 points)
2. Duke (25:42.51 – 81 points)
3. East Tennessee State (25:51.89 – 108 points)
4. Northern Kentucky (25:52.43 – 131 points)
5. Appalachian State (25:53.44 – 132 points)
6. VMI (25:57.66 – 134 points)
7. Marshall (26:17.18 – 208 points)
8. Richmond (26:31.51 – 260 points)
9. High Point (26:35.75 – 280 points)
10. Davidson (26:41.66 – 308 points)
11. Radford (26:49.69 – 328 points)
12. College of Charleston (26:50.20 – 341 points)
13. Wofford (26:58.48 – 368 points)
14. Elon (27:01.32 – 385 points)
15. Western Carolina (27:08.75 – 398 points)
16. Coastal Carolina (27:24.11 – 439 points)
17. Bridgewater (Va.) (27:31.40 – 447 points)
18. Charleston Southern (28.52.28 – 500 points)
19. Gardner-Webb (28:57.53 – 536 points)
20. Campbell (28:38.56 – 562 points)
21. Longwood (29:06.85 – 589 points)
 
Longwood Men's Individual Results (8K, 234 participants)
100. Leon Beard, Jr. (26:57.97)
186. William Verhappen (28:33.34)
206. Alex Dembek (29:15.33)
209. Marc Mawyer (29:25.69)
222. Justin McFaul (31:21.91)
 
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