Bearcats Compete at Mike Johnson Classic hosted by Western Oregon

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

MONMOUTH, Ore. -- The Willamette University cross country teams ran at the Mike Johnson Classic on Friday, Sept. 24. The event, hosted by Western Oregon University, featured a 6-kilometer women's race and an 8-kilometer men's race. Willamette placed 10th in the men's team standings and 12th in the women's team standings.

Gabriel Regimbal (Sr., Bellingham, WA/Squalicum HS) placed 45 overall and 36th among scorers in the men's race. His time was 27:06.2. Jonathan Wallace (Jr., Forest Grove, OR/Forest Grove HS) was 61st overall in 27:32.7. Alex Matteson (Sr., Seattle, WA/Nathan Hale HS) placed 71st overall with a time of 27:53.2. Carson Herrick (Sr., Newberg, OR/Newberg HS) completed the course in 28:42.2 for 87th place, while Ian Curtis (Sr., Eugene, OR/South Eugene HS) finished in 29:11.2 for 93rd place. Joshua Evans (Fy., Lafayette, CA/Acalanes HS) was timed at 29:15.2 and Milo Greenberg (So., Seattle, WA/The Northwest School) earned a time of 29.25.3. A total of 138 runners competed in the men's race.

The individual men's champion Justin Hazell from the University of Portland, who registered a winning time of 24:49.8. Justin Roosma of Eastern Washington University was second in 24:50.9, while Aaron Ahl from Simon Fraser University (B.C., Canada) placed third in 25:07.0. Clement Leduc of Portland was fourth in 25:20.4. Eliason Kabasenche, running unattached, placed fifth in 25:22.5.

For the WU women's team, Audrey Piacsek (Sr., Ellensburg, WA/Ellensburg HS) was 71st overall and 58th among scorers with a time of 25:52.6. Dana Hamilton (Sr., Eugene, OR/Sheldon HS) placed 77th overall in 26:25.4. Melissa Duncan (So., Canyon Country, CA/Canyon HS) took 81st place by reaching the finish line in 26:49.0. Leila Fischer (So., Wenatchee, WA/Wenatchee HS) was timed at 27:05.2 for 86th place, while Adelaide Kemp (Fy., Shorewood, WI/Shorewood HS) was 97th in 27:43.0.

Luz Garcia of Western Oregon won the women's title in 21:46.4. She won by 6.1 seconds over Olivia Willett of Simon Fraser, who took second place in 21:52.5. Alison Andrews-Paul of Simon Fraser placed third with a time of 21:59.7. Rosie Fordham was fourth for the University of Alaska-Fairbanks in 22:19.4, while Megan Roxby from Simon Fraser was fifth in 22:22.5. A total of 123 competitors participated in the women's race.

The men's team title went to the University of Portland with a score of 26 (1-4-5-7-9). Simon Fraser followed in second place at 47, while Eastern Washington was third at 69. California State University-East Bay earned fourth place at 151, with Western Oregon in fifth place at 154. Willamette was 10th with a score of 279.

In the women's team standings, Simon Fraser grabbed first place with a score of 30 (2-3-5-8-12). Eastern Washington was second at 78, and Portland State University was third at 113. Cal State-East Bay finished fourth at 129, while Western Oregon was fifth at 150. The Bearcats placed 12th at 326.

Willamette is set to host the 46th Annual Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 2. The first race will begin at 9:30 a.m. (PDT) in Bush's Pasture Park.