LINK – ASHLAND UNIVERSITY CROSS COUNTRY PAGE
In their second meet of the new 2019 season, Ashland University's men's and women's cross country teams ran on Friday (Sept. 13) morning at the Auto Owners Spartan Invitational in East Lansing, Mich.
In the men's 8K race, Ashland (316 team points) finished 11th overall, but fifth among Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference teams – a spot better than the same meet in 2018. Michigan State won with 48 points, followed by Grand Valley State with 72.
For the second week in a row, senior Steven Kapes led the Eagle men. On Friday, he placed 47th and crossed the finished line in 26:07.6. And for the second week in a row, senior Kyle Shively was second in the AU order, taking 66th in 26:34.5.
Finishing in the top seven for Ashland's men were juniors Ian Johnson (95th, 27:00.1), Nick Reimund (111th, 27:12.0), Tyler Sievert (113th, 27:14.3), Connor Ingram (135th, 27:33.4) and Duvan Bautista-Catalan (139th, 27:38.5).
The women's 6K race saw Ashland (552 points) place 19th overall, and eighth among GLIAC sides. The host Spartans were first (16 points), with the Lakers taking second (68).
Ashland's leader on the women's side continues to be senior Johannah Stefanek, who was 82nd in 23:53.3. One of the Eagles' rising freshmen, Emma Hinkle, came in as the team's No. 2 runner on Friday and placed 158th in 25:17.4.
Rounding out AU's top seven women were junior Tracy Morgan (176th, 25:46.2), freshman Hannah Ohman (183rd, 25:56.4), senior Haylee Zigan (197th, 26:14.2), junior Makayla Wagner (225th, 27:16.2) and sophomore Cassandra Ponzi (28:34.4).
Ashland's men and women will have more than two weeks before their next meet, Sept. 28 at the All-Ohio Championships at Cedarville.
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