FAYETTEVILLE — Will Philly cheese steaks and Boston baked beans be added to the usual Mexican fare at the annual Chile Pepper Festival?
Probably not, but a northeastern flavor will be included in today’s field for the 28th edition of the Chile Pepper Festival at the Agri Park course. Over 5,000 runners and 64 men’s and women’s college teams will compete, including the Arkansas teams that swept last year’s event.
Today’s field will include Villanova, a traditional power located in Philadelphia, and Boston College. The Eagles are coached by Matt Kerr, an Arkansas graduate who won an NCAA title in the steeplechase with the Razorbacks in 1998 and 1999. Arkansas participated in a meet called the Battle of Bean Town in Boston earlier this season.
“We had a little bit of guaranteed money to use to bring in some teams and I called (coach) Marcus O’Sullivan at Villanova, and he grabbed it,” Arkansas men’s coach Chris Bucknam said. “We’re fortunate that Villanova will bring in their traditional great team.
“We had a great trip in Boston a few weeks ago and we met the Boston College team on a Saturday morning and did a nice 12-mile run with them. So, we’re excited to bring in those guys as well and bring back Matt Kerr to his alma mater.”
There’ll be a new champion in the college women’s division after Dominique Reed won the Chile Pepper as an Arkansas senior. Devin Clark, who finished second for Arkansas in the meet last fall, and teammate Valerie Reina, formerly of Springdale Har-Ber, will lead Arkansas today after the Razorbacks placed five runners in the top eight last season.
Arkansas won the team championship with 18 points, far ahead of second-place Abilene Christian, which finished with 99 points.
“We’re super excited to host this event and, hopefully, make a statement nationally,” Arkansas women’s coach Lance Harter said. “Six of the girls on the team that won the national championship in outdoor track are from Arkansas. So, we’re pleased with the talent we have here in our own backyard.”
The Arkansas men were nearly as dominant as the women while winning the men’s division of the 27th Chile Pepper Festival. Arkansas finished with 24 points and well ahead of Tulsa, which finished second with 60 points.
“We’ve very pleased with how we did last year and we return some of those athletes this year,” Bucknam said. “We’re tied for fifth nationally, I think, in the coaches’ poll, and we hope to do better. We want to get on the podium and win a national championship in cross country.”
In the high school divisions, teams from Northwest Arkansas hope to challenge after teams from Texas and Missouri won the boys and girls championships last season. Elise Reina and T.J. Sugg, both from Springdale Har-Ber, are now in college after winning individual championships as seniors.
The Fayetteville boys placed third and the Fayetteville girls seventh as the highest finishers from Arkansas in last year’s Chile Pepper Festival.
“We love Chile Pepper,” Fayetteville coach Michelle Fyfe said. “The kids love it. It’s their home meet and they try to go all out. But we’re young this year and I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
At a glance
28th annual Chile Pepper Festival
Agri Park course, Fayetteville
Today’s races
Chile Pepper 10K Open^7:30 a.m.
Chile Pepper 5K Open^9 a.m.
Men’s College/Open 8K^9:45 a.m.
Women’s College/Open 5K^10:20 a.m.
High school boys 5K^11 a.m.
High school girls 5K^11:30 a.m.
Boys Open 5K^12:15 p.m.
Junior high boys 5K^1 p.m.
Girls Open 5K^1:45 p.m.
Junior high girls 5K^2:30 p.m.