Mustangs face tough field in final tuneup for Heart Championships

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The Mount Mercy men's cross country team posted the second-best team time in school history while the women's squad recorded its best team time of the season at the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge on Saturday at Riverside Park.

The Mustang men finished 22nd in the men's 8K maroon race with 563 points and a team time of 2:12:57. Indiana Wesleyan was the team champion with 88 points, followed by St. Francis (Ill.) (108), St. Mary (165), Huntington (173), and Grace (187).

Four of Mount Mercy's top five runners ran personal bests, including Sergio Lizarraga, who ran the fourth-fastest time in school history while placing 68th in a field of 239 runners with a time of 25:58.6. Brady Cortez was next (109th/26:30.8), then Ryan Clancy (117th/26:33.2) and Lukas Lamparek (152nd/26:55.). Rounding out the top seven were Oscar Lopez (155th/26:59) and Ryan Mitchell (199th/27:53.8).

"The goal for this weekend was to test ourselves," said Head Coach Tad Hulst. "We wanted to get out of our comfort zone a bit more. I thought we did a really good job of getting out after it and committing to that goal.

"Our men set the tone by running the second-fastest team time in school history. Sergio ran an incredible race to become fourth all-time at MMU. The guys continued to show their tenacity through consistency."

The Mount Mercy women's squad was 25th in women's 5K maroon race with 530 points and a season-best team time of 1:40:21. The top five teams were Taylor with 46 points, then St. Mary (126), Cornerstone (129), St. Francis (Ill.) (161), and Huntington (202).

Individually, the Mustangs had two runners in the top 50 in an elite field of 214 runners. Deanna Newhouse led the way, crossing the finish line in 18:47 to finish 41st. J'Lyn Knutson placed 50th in 19:01. Mount Mercy's top seven also included Jessa Day (152nd/20:38.4), Ruth Jennings (156th/20:44.8), Abby Rinderknecht (175th/21:10.6), Ruth Cobieya (180th/21:17.2), and Ariana Lopez (195th/21:42.2).

"Our women ran strong in a really deep field," said Hulst. "We got out perfectly in the first mile, but the entire middle pack of the race slowed down in mile two and kind of trapped people. It was hard to find space but we showed real grit over the last mile and closed well."

The Heart of America Cross Country Championships, hosted by Grand View, will take place on Saturday, Nov. 5, at 11:00 am at the DMACC Cross Country Course in Ankeny.