(Photo by Kirk Hardcastle)
MASON CITY – For the second time in four seasons, the NIACC men’s cross country team has claimed the Trent Smith Invitational.
No. 3 NIACC, which also won the 2017 Trent Smith Invitational, won the fourth annual invite Friday with 20 points. Iowa Central’s junior varsity placed second with 58 points and Indian Hills was third with 70 points.
NIACC had five of the top six runners in Friday’s meet on its home campus. Hawkeye CC’s Sam Mickelson was the individual champion in a time of 26 minutes, 17 seconds on 8-kilometer course.
Mickelson’s time of 26:17 was the sixth fastest time in Trent Smith Invite history.
After Mickelson, NIACC had runners two through six. NIACC’s Melvin Kipkemboi was second (26:21), Jorge Ruiz was third (26:25), Vicente Correia was fourth (26:38), Jalen Petersen was fifth (27:15) and Janvier Irakoze was sixth (27:16).
Kipkemboi’s time of 26:21 was the seventh fastest time in meet history and Ruiz’ time of 26:25 is the ninth fastest time in meet history.
Also for the Trojans, Richard Marcoux was 18th (28:42), Stephen Ringo was 24th (29:26), Stephen Votaw was 25th (29:32), Caleb Sledd was 26th (29:41), Blake Lofing was 29th (30:09), Aidan Bauermeister was 31st (30:26), Ben Ellis was 33rd (30:35), Bryden Juelsgaard was 42nd (31:56), Ellis Regan was 44th (32:06), Maxwell Deeter was 57th (35:53) and Isaac Anderson was 58th (36:26).
NIACC returns to action next Friday at the Indian Hills Invitational.
Team standings – NIACC 20, Iowa Central JV 58, Indian Hills 70, Hawkeye CC 70, Southwestern 140.
