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Jessica Pixler (back row, far right) won the title at the NCAA West Region Cross Country Championships Saturday. Jane Larson (front row, second from left) finished 14th. Both earned all-region honors for their performance. Photo courtesy Chico State

OROVILLE, Calif. (Nov. 4) ­ Winning the individual title by a margin of 10 seconds, Jessica Pixler helped Seattle Pacific University earn a place at the NCAA Division II Championships at Saturday's West Region cross country meet at Forebay Aquatic Center.

The 8th-ranked Falcons took a close second to Cal State L.A., 67-70, for the regional title, and they will advance to the national meet, Nov. 18 in Pensacola, Fla.

Pixler (Fr., Sammamish, Wa./Eastlake) remained unbeaten in four meets this season, surging to take the lead before the midpoint of the 6000-meter race. She finished in 20 minutes, 46 seconds. Chico State's Mary Torres was next in 20:56.

"Jessica did a fine job," said SPU coach Doris Heritage. "She held back in the first loop and then took off, got a lead and it was over."

Pixler became the first SPU harrier to win a regional title since Bente Moe in 1985.

Pixler spends most of her time with the soccer team and was in uniform for Thursday's win over Seattle University in La Jolla, Calif. She joined the runners for a preview of the regional course Friday.

Heritage credited depth for her team's ability to earn one of four automatic national berths. Her top five all finished among the top 22, including Jane Larson (Fr., Fall City, Wa./Cedar Park Christian) in 14th place (21:54), Karin Rohde (Jr., Bellingham, Wa./Mt. Baker) in 16th (22:00) and Suzie Strickler (So., Richland, Wa.) in 17th (22:02). Megan Wrightman (Jr., Bend, Or.) was 22nd in 22:15 and Mary Moriarty (So., Seattle, Wa./Ballard), normally one of the top two scorers, was 23rd in 22:16.

It was the highest regional finish for the SPU women since winning in 1996. They have not gone to the national meet since 1999. UC San Diego and Chico State are the other qualifiers.

The Falcon men tied for ninth place while host Chico State won easily for the fifth year in a row. Cal Poly Pomona and Alaska Anchorage got the other two NCAA slots. Western Washington missed the cut by just two points.

Brian Cronrath (Jr., Battle Ground, Wa.) was the top scorer, taking 38th and competing the 10k in 34:08. Hawaii Pacific's Todd Iacovelli won in 31:58.

WOMEN

• Women's team scores: 1-Cal State L.A. 67, 2-Seattle Pacific 70, 3-UC San Diego 76, 4-Chico State 77, 5-Alaska Anchorage 109, 6-Central Washington 171, 7-Cal State Stanislaus 225, 8-Cal Poly Pomona 250, 9-Western Oregon 254, 10-San Francisco State 280 (8 others)
• Individuals (6k): 1-,Jessica Pizler, SPU, 20:46; 2-Mary Torres, CSC, 20:56; 3-Katie Hummel, CWU, 21:10; 4-Pilar Delgado, CSLA, 21:25; 5-Karla Alburez, CSLA, 21:27; 6-Diane Dunn, UCSD, 21:31; 7-Maija Rhode, CSLA, 21:37; 8-Sarah Montez, CSC, 21:39; 9-Laura Carr, UAA, 21:47; 10-Emily McGregor, UCSD, 21:47.
• Other SPU finishers: 14-Jane Larson, 21:54; 16-Karin Rohde, 22:00; 17-Suzie Strickler, 22:02; 22-Megan Wrightman, 22:15; 23-Mary Moriarty, 22:16; 29-Kate Harline, 22:39.

MEN

• Men's team scores: 1-Chico State 32, 2-Cal Poly Pomona 116, 3-Alaska Anchorage 119, 4-Western Washington 121, 5-UC San Diego 161, 6-BYU Hawaii 165, 7-Hawaii Pacific 238, 8-Western Oregon 242, 9-Cal State Stanislaus and Seattle Pacific 250.
• Individuals (10k): Todd Iacovelli, HPU, 31:58; 2-Charlie Serrano, CSC, 32:09; 3-Antonio Miramontes, CSC, 32:13; 4-John Riak, SMU, 32:24; 5-David Kiplagat, UAA, 32:31; 6-Scott Bauhs, CSC, 32:51; 7-Sam Scotchmer, CWU, 32:39; 8-Kyle Ivie, CSC, 32:51; 9-Eddie Venegas, CPP, 33:02; 10-Brnadon Laan, HPU, 33:04.
• Other SPU finishers: 38-Brian Cronrath, 34:08; 44-Bjorn Bostrom, 34:18; 48-James Rosser, 34:36; 58-Chad Meis, 34:54; 62-Doug Gibson, 35:11; 82-Ryan Phillips, 36:18; 94-Carlo Lozano, 37:18.