Sophomore Joel Santiago races down the path during Wichita State’s JK Gold Classic in Augusta on Saturday, Sept. 2. The Grizzly Men’s Cross Country team places fourth in the meet. Stetson Carpenter
Stetson Carpenter
Student Sports Media
The Butler men’s and women’s teams competed at the JK Gold Classic in Augusta to start the season on Sunday, Sept. 3. The men scored 124 points and finished fifth overall in the college division, just 10 points behind Emporia State.
Sophomores Boniface Kiptoo (19:02.7) and Eliud Koech (19:06.6) stood out the most, placing 10th and 12th individually. Sophomores Derrick Reid (20:04.5, 32nd), Joel Santiago (20:12.5, 34th) and Emmanuel Biwott (20:18.8, 35th) also competed.
“The guys did really well, a couple guys really surprised me,” first year Head Coach Dustin Mettler said. “Very good performances to start the season…”
The women’s team started off hot as well, placing fourth as a team scoring 70 points, with four runners placing in the top 15.
Freshman Spencer Jacobson, from Towanda, led the way finishing the 4k course in 10th at 15:56.7. Sophomore Jade Searles, from Barbados, trailed Jacobson at the finish line by just three seconds (15:59.9) and was 12th. Other point scorers for the Grizzlies include sophomores Conangela Senior (16:01.3, 13th), Roshea Burrell (16:05.8, 14th) and Jeanna Baker (16:30.6, 21st).
“I was very impressed with Spencer Jacobson,” Mettler said. “There were a couple that could’ve run better but were feeling ill we’re hoping for a better meet at Joplin.”
The Grizzlies continue their season Saturday, Sept. 16, at Joplin, Missouri.
