by WINFIELD, Kan. – The Oklahoma City University men’s cross country team took first place in the NAIA Mid-States Classic with 20 points on Saturday at the Winfield Veterans Home.
Six Stars placed inside the top 10, led by senior Arya Bahreini, of Edmond, Okla., in second place with a time of 23 minutes and 56.40 seconds which set a personal record and a new OCU record.
“We had some solid performance today, especially Arya,” said OCU head coach Conor Holt. “He went 12 rounds with the lad from Wayland Baptist who is the defending NAIA cross country champion. Arya just came up short today but it might be a different story in four weeks from now.”
Oklahoma City, No. 3 in NAIA men’s cross country rankings, finished 31 points in front of Sooner Athletic Conference rival Wayland Baptist (Texas). The 16-team field consisted of 154 runners.
David Mountford, a junior from Shotton, Wales, followed Bahreini in third place with a new personal record of 24:34.80. Sophomore Michael Vercoe-Curtis, of Kelston, Auckland, New Zealand, set a new personal record of 25:12.20 in fifth place, while Mackenzie Wahpepah-Harris (Kickapoo Tribe) finished in sixth place with a time of 25:20.00.
Reno Blum, a senior from Tahlequah, Okla., and Chris Ebert, a freshman from Edmon, Okla., finished next for the Stars at seventh and eighth place with new personal records of 25:37.00 and 25:55.80, respectively.
OCU’s Dylan Smith-Sutton, a senior from Midwest City, Okla., finished with a new personal record with a time of 26:02.30 for 11th place.
Freshmen Erick Meza, of Midlothian, Ill., and Lucas Harrington, of Columbia, Mo., earned new personal bests with times of 26:48.60 and 26:59.00 for 30th and 34th place, respectively.
The Stars’ Jonathan Falcon, a freshman from Katy, Texas, had a time of 27:25.40, good for 52nd. Freshmen Kyle Copp, of Burleson, Texas, and Ryan Hummel, of Katy, Texas, finished at 57th and 58th with new personal best times of 27:32.50 and 27:33.10, respectively.
Tyler Wade, a freshman from Piedmont, Okla., placed 67th with a personal best time of 27:47.10, while senior Hunter Swink, of Oklahoma City, finished in 76th place.
“We also had some breakout performances from our fifth through eighth men today,” Holt said. “That’s what this is all about. Stepping up and not being behind the door. Now we go back to work and get ready for the post season.” The competitors faced 62-degree temperatures with wind up to 13-mph.
The Stars return to action on Nov. 7 for the Sooner Athletic Conference Championships in Shawnee, Okla.
