The Lee University men's cross country team placed three runners in the top 23 to finish second in the 8K Gold Race at the Live in Lou Cross Country Classic Saturday morning at E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park. The Flames recorded a team time of 2:00:26.40 and amassed 133 points.
Grand Valley State was the top team with 104 points. Miami (Ohio) placed third with 150 points. Cincinnati (172) was fourth and in fifth place was Eastern Michigan (186). Grand Valley State's Tanner Chada was the individual winner with a time of 23:18.1.
"Our pack running is exceptional," said Lee head coach Caleb Morgan. "We had a solid good lead on Grand Valley at four miles, they came back hard the final half mile. This was a big day for us. We are happy to have mixed it up well with last year's national champions."
Silas Eckenroad and Adan Rodriguez were the first two Lee runners to cross the finish line among the field of 308. Eckenroad was 20th overall with a time of 24:01.1, while Rodriguez was right behind at 24:01.8 (21st). Will Stone (24:03.1) gave Lee three runners in the top 25 with a 23rd-place finish.
Hayden Judge stopped the clock at 24:07.9 for 31st and Matthew Fowler rounded out the Lee scorers at No. 38 (24:12.5). Aaron Himes and Stephen Clark were the spacers. Himes (24:17.1) was 45th and Clark (24:40.5) placed 81st.
Evan Moore's time of 24:41.5 was good for 84th. Ezekiel Harless finished 108th (24:53.1), while Jacob Hatcher (25:01.2) finished 130th, Jon Fielding Stogner (25:05.9) was 138th, Roberto Fajardo (25:10.9) placed 147th and Caleb Guthery (25:22.2) finished 166th.
The Flames are scheduled to compete at the UAH Chargers Cross Country Invite on October 22. The 5K race will be held at John Hunt Park in Huntsville, Alabama, and will serve as Lee's final regular season meet.
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