Carlson Places 5th, Montague is 15th, at Augsburg Invitational in Minnesota

Keith Carlson (Sr., Bainbridge Island, WA//Bainbridge HS)
Keith Carlson (Sr., Bainbridge Island, WA//Bainbridge HS)

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

BLOOMINGTON, Minn -- Keith Carlson (Sr., Bainbridge Island, WA/Bainbridge HS) of Willamette University finished fifth and teammate Michael Montague (Jr., San Diego, CA/Canyon Crest Academy) placed 15th in the men's 8-kilometer race at the Augsburg Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 15 at the Highland Greens Golf Course. Hazel Carr (Sr., Seattle, WA/The Northwest School) took 38th place for the Bearcats in the women's 6-kilometer race.

A total of 316 runners completed the mens' race, while 312 athletes finished the women's race. Willamette grabbed 10th place in the men's team standings and finished 13th in the women's team standings.

Carlson registered a time of 27:11.2 for the Bearcats. Montague crossed the finish line in 28:01.2. Carr earned a time of 25:35.8 in the women's race.

The men's race was won by Josh Schraeder from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse with a time of 26:48.8. He won by just over nine seconds, with Patrick Treacy from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire taking second place in 26:58.0. Thomas Schultz, from UW-La Crosse, was third at 27:02.5. Unattached runner Calvin Lehn placed fourth in 27:07.3, and Carlson of Willamette was fifth at 27:11.72.

In addition to Carlson and Montague, Bearcats who ran the 8-kilometer course and finished in the top 200 were Carson Herrick (Fr., Newberg, OR/Newberg HS), Kellen Bulger (Jr., Spokane, WA/Ferris HS) and Alex Matteson (Fr., Seattle, WA/Nathan Hale HS).

Herrick placed 108th after reaching the finish line in 30:46.8. Bulger was 136th in a time of 31:13.8. Matteson took 196th and was timed at 32:28.9.

UW-La Crosse claimed the men's team title with a score of 43 (1-3-8-20-21). St. Olaf College (Minn.) was a close second at 49, and University of Minnesota-Duluth placed third at 115. UW-Eau Claire was fourth at 121, with Gustavus Adolphus University in fifth at 196.

In the women's race, Sam Slattery from UW-Eau Claire was the winner in 23:32.7. Linsey Tolkkinen from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls was second at 23:48.0 and Morgan Pierce from College of St. Benedict (Minn.) took third at 23:54.4. Bryony Hawgood of St. Olaf followed in fourth place at 24:05.9, and Mary Naas from St. Olaf was fifth at 24:07.2

Carr led Willamette's runners on the 6-kilometer course. Three more Bearcats placed between 77th and 85th. Maggie Chapin (Jr., Buffalo, WY/Buffalo HS) took 77th in 26:33.2. Kyla Shade (Jr., Snohomish, WA/Snohomish HS) was 80th in 26;38.4, and Emily Evans (Sr., Anchorage, AK/South Anchorage HS) finished 85th in 26:44.1.

Also in the top 200 were Molly Murphy-Brown (Fr., Sandy, OR/Sandy HS), Risa Shutz (So., Redmond, WA/Redmond HS), Jamie Smith (Jr., Seattle, WA/Ballard HS), and Audrey Piacsek (Fr., Ellensburg, WA/Ellensburg HS). Murphy-Brown placed 150th with a time of 28:06.0. Shutz was 179th at 28:45.0 and Smith was 184th at 28:54.2. Piacsek placed 190th at 29:00.6.

Minnesota-Duluth earned the women's team title with a score of 88 (8-11-18-23-28). UW-La Crosse took second at 101 and St. Olaf was third at 122. University of St. Thomas (Minn.) was fourth at 128 and UW-Eau Claire placed fifth at 135.

 The Bearcats will return to action on Saturday, Sept. 29 when they will host the 44th Annual Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational. Action will get underway at Bush's Pasture Park at 9:30 a.m. (PDT).