Three Chadron State College men’s cross country runners turned in all-time great performances for CSC on Saturday at the Trojan Invite, hosted by Colby Community College at Meadow Lake Golf Course in Kansas.
The competition was a mixed bag. It included four junior colleges, two NAIA schools, four NCAA Division II members, and Division I Air Force Academy.
Freshman Charles Fossey led the Eagles on the eight-kilometer course. Only three CSC runners in the history of the program have run that distance faster than Fossey’s time of 25:38.2. He placed 27th of 109 competitors.
Two others landed on the all-time top 10 list of seasonal eight-kilometer performances. Junior Kyle Shirley and freshman Topi Alahuhta remained side-by-side at 35th and 36th, respectively. They are now ninth and 10th on the all-time list, with only four Eagles runners faster.
The CSC men placed 5th of 11 teams.
Four CSC women – three freshmen and one sophomore – finished in the top half of their six-kilometer race. Freshman Lexi Rule placed 27th, sophomore Alissa Wieman in 33rd, freshman Lydia Peters in 35th, and freshman Josie Diffendaffer in 37th place. There were 78 female runners.
The Eagles’ women finished sixth of nine entrants.
The Air Force runners scored the lowest in both men’s and women’s competitions.
Host Colby captured first in both individual races, with Emily Diercks and Sanele Masondo crossing the finish line first for the women and men, respectively.
The Trojan Invite was CSC’s first competition in more than four weeks.
The Eagles have three weeks between today’s meet and the next one, which is the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships in Durango, Colorado.
CSC Individual Results:
Women (6k)
27, Lexi Rule, 19:45.9; 33, Alissa Wieman, 20:14.8; 35, Lydia Peters, 20:20.6; 37, Josie Diffendaffer, 20:26.5; 54, Tukker Romey, 21:38.8; 62, Breeanna Meats, 22:01.6; 64, Jacie Lussetto, 22:09.0.
Men (8k)
27, Charles Fossey, 25:38.2; 35, Kyle Shirley, 25:59.5; 36, Topi Alahuhta, 26:01.3; 46, Noah Burtis, 26:45.9; 53, Blaine Johnson, 26:59.7; 62, Nate Mann, 27:23.2; 90, Trevor Eisenbraun, 29:25.7; 93, Miles Mitchell, 29:39.7; 96, Jake Brugger, 30:19.1; 103, Chantz Stuhmer, 31:17.3.
Team Standings:
Women
1, Air Force, 22; 2, Fort Hays St., 47; 3, MSU Denver, 67; 4, Hastings, 115; 5, Colorado Christian, 126; 6, Chadron State, 155; 7, Friends, 193; 8, Garden City CC, 211; 9, Trinidad State, 236.
Men
1, Air Force, 40; 2, Colby CC, 41; 3, Colorado School of Mines, 63; 4, Northwest Kansas, 128; 5, Chadron State, 165; 6, Trinidad State, 173; 7, Fort Hays State, 176; 8, Colorado Christian, 188; 9, Friends, 234; 10, Garden City CC, 263; 11, Hastings, 315.