By: Connor Gulick, Head Cross Country Coach

The Beavers traveled west to Trine University for the Mrs. G Invitational which featured MIAA powerhouses Trine and Calvin University as well as some strong NAIA competition.

Leading the way for the women's team was freshmen Sara Smith (Mansfield/Madison Comprehensive) who finished 3rd overall in the women's 3k with a new best of 11:26.47 which also places her 11th in the HCAC. Moments later, senior Basil Gates (Galion) took the 2nd heat from the gun, securing a top 10 finish while running a solo 11:44.52 which just missed the conference qualifier for the event.

In the sprints, senior Kinsey Myers (Stryker) and freshmen Darbie Dillon (Mt. Gilead) both came out with season best efforts in the 400 meters with Myers finishing in 1:10.65 and Dillon finishing in 1:12.72

"I thought that the squad really showed their resilience. We battled a lot of sickness that was traveling through the team, but they didn't use that as an excuse and laid it all out on the track." Distance Coach Connor Gulick said about how the team competed Friday night.

On the men's side, they were led by senior Russell Lough (Wintersville/Indian Creek) who finished 6th in the 200, matching his PR of 23.25. Lough also started off his day with a new PR in the 60 with a time of 7.36. The freshmen duo of Jase Bailey (Orlando, Fla./Olympia) and Brenen Wilson (Dayton/Stebbins) also took home new PR's in the 60, running 7.71 and 7.81, respectively. Freshmen Devin Homan (Dayton/Stebbins) also matched his PR in the 200, running 23.71 despite battling illness all week.

On the distance Side, freshmen Jordan Croy (Ottawa/Ottawa-Glandorf) and Malcolm Hudson (Villa Rica, Ga./Villa Rica), who was making his season debut after suffering a hamstring injury in the HCAC Cross Country Championships, both competed well to the tune of a 2:19.21 for Croy, which was a PR, and 2:27.34 for Hudson.

The jump squad saw a familiar face back in action as senior Joey Bonham (Vanlue) made his high jump season debut after battling a hamstring injury. Bonham cleared 1.83 meters which has him sitting 4th in the HCAC.

"Thank you to all our coaches that get these young men and women ready to compete at a high level week in and week out," said Head Coach Chris Scott on how the team competed last weekend.

The Beavers will be back in action on Saturday, Feb. 15, when they travel down to HCAC foe Mount St. Joseph.

-BEAVERS-