Both racers and spectators had little idea what to expect when the men's cross-country team toed the line in Boston's Franklin Park for the start of the 34th annual Codfish Bowl on Saturday. Top Jeff runner Mike Page '04 was on the sidelines suffering from a knee injury that left him unable to compete in the race. With a team of only eight other runners present, losing the guidance of such a star runner was both a mental and a physical blow for the uneasy Amherst squad.

However, a short time later there was reason for celebration. The Jeffs placed fourth out of a deep field of 17 teams, falling short only to the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, MIT and Trinity College. Once again, it was the youngest additions to the Jeff roster that drove home their strong finish. Mike Katz '05 ran an incredible 26:23.5 to finish first for the team and tenth overall. His gutsy finish, which has already become the mainstay of his formula for success, allowed him to move up several places in the last 800 meters of the race. "I felt incredibly strong out there and was really excited about how the race went," said Katz.

Katz didn't have to wait long, though, before a host of Amherst teammates joined him at the finish line. John Stanton-Geddes '04, perhaps one of the most consistently strong runners on the team, finished 15th with a time of 26:34.3. Co-captain and veteran Ben Kozyak '02 finished 26th with a time of 27:06.2, with Zeke Phillips '05 less than a second behind, taking 27th place. "It is so exciting to be coming down the final stretch and see your teammate running right along you," said Kozyak. "It allows each of you to push each other, just as [Phillips] and I did for the last 400 meters on Saturday."

Carson Taylor '03 continued his streak of strong races, finishing 41st, while Cameron Millard '05 placed 82nd and Co-captain Rusty Ryan '02 placed 90th in a strong field.

Coach Erik Nedeau was excited by what he saw on Saturday. "Despite not having Page racing due to an aggravated knee, the men continued to race extremely well and had another great showing. The team is racing like a group of seasoned veterans rather a team of relative youth. They are not afraid of laying it on the line, and they are very determined to go after anyone around them and it is showing in their results," said Nedeau.

Next weekend's meet at Grafton Park will be the first chance for Amherst to display what they've got to the other NESCAC schools that they will be competing against for regional and national spots.