INDEPENDENCE, Ore. -- Alauna Carstens (Jr.) and Max Baeder (Jr.) from The Evergreen State College each set a school record during the Linfield George Oja Invitational in cross country on Saturday, Oct. 18 at the Oak Knoll Golf Course. Carstens won the women's 6-kilometer race while setting the Evergreen record. Baeder took 31st place in the men's 8-kilometer race on his way to setting the Evergreen record.
Carstens reached the finish line first in the women's race with a time of 20:15.20. She broke her own school record by about 33 seconds. Carsten's previous Evergreen record was 20:48, set at last year's Linfield George Oja Invitational. She won this year's event by eight seconds over Megan Crum from the University of Portland, who was timed at 20:23.20. Riley Buese, running for Timberline Athletic Club, placed third at 20:32.60. Cadence Kasprick, competing unattached, was fourth at 20:40.30, and Anna Connor, also running unattached, placed fifth in 20:42.40.
It was the second time Carstens has won a cross country meet this fall. She has placed in the top three of all three meets where she has competed. She took first place at the PLU Invitational on Sept. 20. She was third in the 50th Annual Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational on Oct. 4. This weekend's Linfield George Oja Invitational featured 352 athletes in the women's 6-kilometer race.
"Alauna just was absolutely outstanding!" said Evergreen Head Cross Country and Track and Field Coach Joel Pearson. "It was a massive personal record and course record, and she led from the start ,while going through the 5k in 16:53. What a performance!"
"Alauna's race today is the kind of race you dream about," noted Evergreen Assistant Cross Country and Track and Field Coach Katie Burnett. "She took it out in the lead from the start. Unshackled by doubt, she flew and never looked back."
Sherlyn Perales (So.) of Evergreen placed 94th in the women's competition. She completed the race in 23:02.70. Dani Buttrell (Jr.) earned 139th place for the Geoducks in 23:46.00, while Soleil Bianchi (Jr.) was 146th at 23:50.20. Izabelle Trefts (Sr.) placed 172nd with a time of 24:13.10, and Sylvie Biesack (Fr.) was 176th at 24:14.50. A total of 11 athletes competed for the Geoducks in the women's race. Evergreen placed 13th in the team standings with a score of 403.
Boise State University won the women's team title with a score of 40 (3-5-7-11-14). Portland followed in second place at 59, with Eastern Washington University in third at 89. George Fox University (Ore.) was fourth at 146 and Whitworth University (Wash.) was fifth at 225.
Baeder's time that set the Evergreen school record in the men's race was 24:41.60. He was 31st out of 402 athletes in the 8-kilometer event. He broke the Geoducks' previous record of 25:00 set by Brian Rakestraw at the Oregon State University Classic Invitational in 2008. Baeder has been Evergreen's top men's finisher at all three meets he's entered this season.
"I am so happy for Max getting the school record! Pearson commented. "We have been chasing this record for a while, and to see him bring together a well-executed race made me so happy!"
Also for Evergreen, Jaydon Blackburn (Jr.) placed 125th in 25:57.70 and Luis Esquivel (So.) was 168th with a time of 26:24.10. Evan Williams (Sr.) placed 206th for the Geoducks in 26:53.10, while Nathaniel Sanchez (Fr.) was 239th in 27:17.50. Evergreen was represented by 13 athletes in the men's race. The Geoducks earned 21st place in the team standings with a score of 551.
"I am incredibly proud of our family today and their performances!" Pearson said. "We needed a big day of personal bests and school records and we got them!"
"I couldn't be more proud to see how this team is coming into their own," Burnett added. "Max breaking the school record is the cherry on top to this fantastic team effort. I'm excited for three weeks of training before the conference meet back on this same course!"
The winner of the men's race was Yamane Mulugeta from Trinity Western University (B.C., Canada) at 23:34.10. Justin Kiplagat, also from Trinity Western, was second at 23:47.90. Jack Gladfelter of Corban University took third place in 23:49.70, while Conner Wirth from Eastern Washington was fourth at 23:55.90. Fifth place went to Jacob Hupke of Portland, who registered a time of 23:58.90.
Eastern Washington grabbed the team title with a score of 77 (4-7-15-16-35). Portland was second at 87 and Eastern Oregon University was third at 136. George Fox finished fourth at 183 and Trinity Western was fifth at 189.
Evergreen will return to action on Friday, Nov. 7 at the Cascade Collegiate Conference Cross Country Championships. The CCC Championships will be held at Oak Knoll Golf Course starting at 10 a.m. PST.