MXC: NWC CHAMPIONSHIP - Eberhart Places 19th as Bruins Finish 9th in NWC Meet

NWC Men's Championship Results

ESTACADA, Ore. - Cam Eberhart once again led all George Fox University runners, finishing 19th overall and for team scoring, but it was not enough to lift the Bruins as a team out of a 9th-place finish in the Northwest Conference Men's Cross Country Championship 8K race Saturday afternoon here at Milo McIver State Park.

With four runners finishing in the top 10, Willamette reclaimed its spot as the conference champion after falling to Whitworth University last season. The Bearcats finished the meet with 32 points to 71 for Whitworth this time.  Linfield College took 3rd with 89 points, followed by Whitman College with 111, host Lewis & Clark College with 141, the University of Puget Sound with 160, Pacific Lutheran University with 166, Pacific University with 212, and George Fox with 225.

Eberhart ran a 26:34.71 for his 19th spot, five places below All-Conference status.  Also scoring for the Bruins were Paul Rapet with a 27:57.82 (45th/42nd), Ryan Erickson with a 29:00.58 (62nd/53rd), Allen Cassel with a 29:04.88 (63rd/54th), and Chad Sutfin with a 29:14.29 (66th/57th).  Austin Morrell and Mike Calavan also competed for the Bruins, Morrell posting a time of 29:39.32 (72nd) and Calavan a 29:55.43 (73rd).

Puget Sound's Francis Reynolds repeated as conference champion, running away from the pack to take the meet with a time of 25:00.71. Leo Castillo of Willamette was not far behind, finishing just 20 seconds behind Reynolds.  The top seven finishers earned spots on the All-NWC First Team, while runners in spots eight through 14 received All-NWC Second Team honors.

Next up the Bruins and other conference teams is the NCAA Division III West Regional on Saturday, Nov. 14, at Prado Park in Chino, Calif.