The Oberlin men’s and women’s cross country teams have exploded out of the gates this season, posting impressive showings at their first two events of 2011, the Wooster and Ohio Wesleyan Invitationals. This strong start has earned them both regional and national attention, fostering high hopes as they push into the heart of their schedules.

Both squads overcame the oppressive heat in Wooster to dominate their respective events at the Wooster Invitational on Sept. 1. The men grabbed the top three spots in the 5,000 meters, as senior Ben Schild crossed the line first at 17 minutes, 8 seconds. Fellow senior Derek Lange was just a step behind at 17:19, and junior Matt Bernstein rounded out the trio with a mark of 17:31. In the men’s four-mile run, sophomore Jimmy Taylor came in third (22:09), and senior Stephen Williams took fourth (22:12).

The Yeowomen, not to be outdone by their male counterparts, managed to touch the tape first in both distances. The women’s 5K was won by first-year Carey Lyons, who finished in 20:22. Sophomore Molly Martorella delivered a dominating performance in the women’s 4K, checking in at 15:05, a full minute ahead of the other runners. Her efforts earned her the North Coast Athletic Conference Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week Award.

Martorella was pleased with her performance, but she still sees room for improvement.

“I am happy with my fitness this early in the season,” she said. “But my racing strategies and mental strength during races are still something I will be able to work on as the season continues. This weekend was definitely a good start to the season, both individually and as a team.”

That good start continued the next weekend at the Great Lakes Colleges Association event held at Ohio Wesleyan University. The women’s team placed first in the 17-team field, with five runners finishing in the top 14 out of a total 234 runners. Martorella continued her remarkable start to the season, placing second overall in the 5K with a time of 18:54. Fellow sophomore Margaret Lindman claimed 11th place at 19:34.1, while junior Sara Terashima finished in 12th place, clocking in at 19:35.6. Two first-years also posted impressive showings, as Lindsay Neal (19:36) and Carey Lyons (19:38) came in fourth and fifth, respectively, for the Yeowomen.

Head Coach Ray Appenheimer raved about Martorella’s impressive campaign thus far.

“She has looked outstanding from the get-go,” Appenheimer said. “I think she has surprised herself with her strength. We have only seen the beginning from her.”

The men’s team showed its mettle as well, placing sixth overall and second amongst Great Lakes Colleges Association schools. Williams, Schild and Lange again paved the way for the Yeomen. In the 8K, Williams came in 17th at 27:03.1, while Schild and Lange were close behind at 23rd and 25th overall, respectively. Williams’ strong showing earned him NCAC Runner of the Week accolades this past week.

Appenheimer expects the trio to compete with the best in the conference later this fall.

“Our top three performers were outstanding,” he said. “Stephen [Williams] got a later start to training this summer, so he is just scratching the surface of his fitness.”

The solid displays by both teams have grabbed quite a bit of attention. This past Wednesday, the Yeomen drew a No. 10 ranking in the Great Lakes region, while the Yeowomen entered the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association national rankings, placing 32nd in the country. They are also ranked third in the Great Lakes region.

Both teams look to climb further in the polls at the Williams Invitational on Sept. 24 at Williams College.