Men’s Cross Country wins Wittenberg Invitational
By Wes Mayberry
SPRINGFIELD — The Ohio Northern men's cross country team earned its second straight victory to open the 2022 season Saturday morning at the Wittenberg Invitational at the Clark County Fairgrounds.
The Polar Bears (12-0 overall) won the team title, scoring 42 points to place first of 10 teams. Denison was second with 73 points, and Baldwin Wallace was third with 83 points.
Sophomore Trey Masterson (Tiffin/Hopewell Loudon) led Northern across the finish line, finishing fifth overall with a career-best time of 26:44.7 on the 8,000-meter course.
The Polar Bears had three other runners place inside the top 10.
Senior Breydan Hann (Wooster) was seventh in 26:48.6, junior Ian Ackenhausen (Xenia/Legacy Christian Academy) was eighth in 26:49.5, and junior Kyle Roth (Rockford/Parkway) was ninth in 26:53.0.
Junior Jared Swartz (Columbia Station/Columbia) and sophomores Corey Rinehart (Galena/Olentangy Berlin) and Ryan Massie (Beavercreek) rounded out ONU's top seven.
Swartz was 13th 27:00.9, Rinehart was 18th 27:11.3, and Massie was 19th in 27:13.7. Those times were career-bests for all three runners.
Enrique Salazar, of Manchester (Ind.), was the top overall finisher, running a time of 25:57.3.
The Polar Bears return to action on Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Rochester (N.Y.) Invitational.
Team Standings
1. Ohio Northern 42, 2. Denison 73, 3. Baldwin Wallace 83, 4. Wittenberg 130, 5. Berea (Ky.) 142, 6. Wooster 149, 7. Manchester (Ind.) 152, 8. Ohio Dominican 193, 9. Marietta 264, 10. Wilberforce 302
Top 5 Individuals
1. Enrique Salazar (Manchester) 25:57.3, 2. Conor Kolka (Wittenberg) 26:07.8, 3. Stephen Faltay (Baldwin Wallace) 26:28.7, 4. Nathan Bertman (Denison) 26:35.3, 5. Trey Masterson (ONU) 26:44.7
Ohio Northern Results
5. Trey Masterson 26:44.7, 7. Breydan Hann 26:48.6, 8. Ian Ackenhausen 26:49.5, 9. Kyle Roth 26:53.0, 13. Jared Swartz 27:00.9, 18. Corey Rinehart 27:11.3, 19. Ryan Massie 27:13.7, 24. Logan Murray 27:36.1, 26. Aaron Guzman 27:38.1, 31. Isaac Schoen 27:56.0, 34. Caden Sauerbrey 28:07.1, 35. Trent Babcock 28:10.0, 40. Jacob Clouse 28:27.9, 43. J.T. Basco 28:36.1, 48. Blake Abbott 29:02.9, 52. Ethan Kemp 29:13.0, 53. Adam Hellman 29:13.0, 55. Trey Myers 29:15.7, 56. Bo Little 29:15.7, 58. Canyon Neundorfer 29:19.5, 59. Alan Dravenstott 29:21.4, 60. Nicholas Kiplinger 29:23.1, 61. Keefer McClure 29:25.1, 69. Donovan Brown 29:51.2, 72. Skylar Dawson 29:58.3, 73. Brooks Blakeley 30:11.1, 74. Justin Pate 30:18.3, 75. Aaron Altstaetter 30:20.9, 79. Hunter Mowery 30:43.1, 84. Ross Schlatter 31:18.4, 95. Pierce Overmyer 32:40.9