Concordia Opens XC Season at PSU Viking Classic

9/6/2013 8:57:00 PM

MEN'S RESULTS I WOMEN'S RESULTS

FAIRVIEW, Ore—Opening their seasons against the four in-state NCAA DI teams, Concordia newcomers Eric Alldritt (Bend, Ore./Summit H.S.) and Cia Bywater (Lake Stevens, Wash./Lake Stevens H.S.) led their respective Cavalier cross country teams at the PSU Viking Classic held at Blue Lake Park on Friday.

Alldritt, a freshman from Bend, Ore., recorded a top-10 finish in the men's race by crossing the line of the four-mile course in 20:30.58. The first non-Oregon Duck or Portland Pilot to close the race, Alldritt briefly took the overall lead with approximately 800 meters remaining, and finished just 18 seconds shy of individual winner Alex Dillard of UP.

Portland entered the race ranked No. 8 in the country while Oregon holds a No. 12 NCAA DI ranking.

In a non-scoring competition, a quartet of Cavaliers, which would normally be tabbed as the final four scorers on the team, all crossed the finish consecutively with Roman Kirkov (Vancouver, Wash./Union H.S.), Adrian Taylor, Alan Johnson and Jasen Brown (Brewster, Wash./Brewster H.S.) finishing in 29th through 32nd place, respectively.

Ethan Livermore (Portland, Ore./Cleveland H.S.) (48th) and Demetrius Rhodes (Portland, Ore./Benson Polytechnic) (56th) closed out the Concordia contingent on the men's side.

Bywater, a junior transfer from Clackamas C.C., paced the CU women's team with a 27th-place finish. Bywater toured the three-mile course in 17:28.30. Steps back, junior Sarah Whybark (Snohomish, Wash./Glacier Peak H.S.) claimed 36th place with a 17:42.80.

Finishing in a pack just after the 19-minute mark, Randi Chance (Molalla, Ore/Molalla H.S.), Brianna Keane (Bellingham, Wash./Sehome H.S.) and Christa Collmer (Boring, Ore./Sam Barlow H.S.) placed 52nd, 54th and 56th. Megan VonBargen (Adna, Wash./Adna H.S.) dipped under the 20-minute barrier with a 19:50.92.

Taking the individual title, Megan Patrgnelli led the No. 3-ranked Oregon Ducks with a 16:08.49.