Complete Results
IROWNWOOD, Mich. – St. Scholastica senior #Waylon Manske# posted the fastest time for the Saints to take eighth place overall with a time of 25:25.4, in the Grandview Wolverine Challenge men's 10km freestyle.
Central Cross Country (CXC) elite team's Santiago Ocariz, a recent UW-Green Bay graduate and 2010 NCAA All-American took top honors in time of 23:39.8. Northern Michigan University's Andy Liebner finished second, 17.8 seconds ahead of teammate, Erik Soderman in third. CSS sophomore #Jeremy Hecker# cracked the top 10 finishing three seconds behind Manske in 25:18.4. Senior #Mason Bacso# rounded out the Saints' top three in 13th with a time of 25:42.1.
The race is a tune-up race for the Saints with many CCSA teams in attendance. Manske, Hecker, and Bacso finished fourth, sixth, and ninth, respectively among collegiate males with most of the CCSA powerhouse skiers on the start. The event also serves as qualifier for the Midwest Junior Olympic Team that will compete in the age category junior national championships held in March in Minneapolis. Saints men had a strong qualifying performance in the Older Junior, 18-19 year-old category, with Hecker, sophomores, #Kelin Dunfee#, and #John Wessling# finishing second, third, and fourth in the category.
“It was a very typical early season race for us,” said Saints head coach #Chad Salmela#. “Some felt they skied well, some felt they didn't. Some had solid results, others didn't. It's the way early season racing usually is. Overall, the depth of the team is really good for this time of year because everyone is still trying to find race form, and we have guys having good days stepping up the results when others are having not so good days. The team is just performing at a higher level overall at this time of year than we ever have and it has entirely to do with depth. It's kind of new territory for the program, really.”
The Saints race a 10km classic on Sunday in Ironwood, before a hiatus from team racing until the U.S. National Championships the first week of January. The Saints' National Championship team will be named Monday.
