Battlin’ Bears Cross Country teams both finish in top 10 at NAIA Great Lakes Challenge

Editor’s note: This is a release from RMC Sports Information. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., October 26, 2019 – Competing against some of the top ranked teams in the nation, the No. 13 ranked Rocky Mountain College women’s cross country team took eighth place among 26 teams at the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge Cross Country Invitational. The Battlin’ Bears notably finished ahead of No. 9 ranked Cornerstone who placed in ninth. Of the seven teams to defeat the Battlin’ Bears, five of them were ranked as top ten teams across the NAIA. “It was a flat, but muddy course,” said Rocky’s head cross country coach, Mike McLean. “Our team stepped up to the challenge of running against some of the best teams in the nation.” Running a time of 18:25.40, Ruth Chepsat finished in sixth among the 277 runners competing. Her time scored as fifth individually. Sydney Little Light finished in 27th with a time of 19:09.20 which counted as 26th among scoring runners. Finishing in 35th overall, Mei-Li Stevens ran a time of 19:18.60. Courtney Hallock took 86th overall on a time of 19:52.00 which counted as an 83rd place score. Carrie Daniels placed in 124th overall on a time of 20:16.40 while Carina Bracy ran a time of 20:42.90 to place in 152nd. Larissa Saarel and Grace Gilliand finished in 161st and 162nd. Saarel ran a time of 20:47.20 while Gilliland finished right behind her on a time of 20:47.90. The No. 20 ranked Rocky Mountain College men’s cross country team finished in seventh among 26 teams competing at the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge Cross Country Invitational in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In the 8K race, the Battlin’ Bears finished with a score of 217 just 49 points behind No. 5 ranked St. Francis.The Battlin’ Bears finished ahead of No. 17 ranked Goshen, No. 21 ranked Cornerstone, and No. 23 ranked Michigan-Dearborn. In a field of 311 runners, Rocky was led by Jackson Duffey’s ninth place finish on a time of 25:20.00. Isaac Petsch finished in 35th on a time of 26:00.90. The pair of Elijah Boyd and Jackson Wilson finished in 45th and 46th overall. Boyd ran a time of 26:08.60 while Wilson finished directly behind him in 26:08.80. George Beddow took 88th overall with a time of 26:45.10. Running a time of 26:58.40, Joseph Vanden Bos finished in 108th. Keegan Council took 179th on a time of 27:35.00. For more information regarding Rocky Mountain College athletics, visit gobattlinbears.com.