Bearcats Run Well at 46th Annual Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational

Dana Hamilton competes at the Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational.
Dana Hamilton (Sr., Eugene, OR/Sheldon HS)

By Charlie McGuire, Athletics Communications Assistant

SALEM, Ore. – The Willamette University cross country teams hosted the 46th Annual Charles Bowles Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 2, at McCulloch Stadium. The event featured a men's and women's NCAA race and men's and women's NAIA/Community College/Club team races.

The Bearcat men placed 10th overall in the Cardinal men's 8K event, which featured NCAA teams from multiple divisions. The Division I University of Washington captured the team title with the top six runners in the race.

Juniors Gabriel Regimbal (Bellingham, WA/Squalicum HS) and Alex Matteson (Seattle, WA/Nathan Hale HS) led the way for Willamette, crossing the line 40th and 41st, with times of 26:06 and 26:08, respectively. Senior Carson Herrick (Newburg, OR/Newburg) had a top 50 showing with a time of 26:22.

Jonathan Wallace (Fy., Forest Grove, OR/Forest Grove HS) came in at 26:49, while classmates Milo Greenberg (Seattle, WA/The Northwest School) and Joshua Evans (Lafayette, CA/Acalanes HS) posted times of 28:05 and 28:29, respectively.

The Huskies combined for a perfect score of 15, sweeping the top five scoring positions. The University of Portland finished second with its top runners coming in eighth and ninth. Humboldt State held off Seattle University to claim third (133-135), while George Fox University was fifth with 139.

Washington's Joe Waskum edged teammate Leo Dashbach for the individual title as they posted marks of 23:42 and 23:44. Tibebu Proctor and Luke Houser each had times of 23:46 to place third and fourth, respectively. Ryan Renken was fifth, just two seconds back at 26:48.

The Bearcats ran as individuals in the Cardinal 5K women's race, led by junior Dana Hamilton (Eugene, OR/Shelden HS) with a time of 20:07. Junior Audrey Piacsek (Ellensburg, WA/Ellensburg HS) finished in 20:16, while Adelaide Kemp (Fy., Shorewood, WI/Shorewood HS) and sophomore Leila Fischer (Wenatchee, WA/Wenatchee) clocked a times of 21:05 and 21:34, respectively.

The University of Portland ran to the team title with 56 points on the day. George Fox finished just ahead of Seattle University, 85-87, to place third, and Oregon State University claimed fourth, just three points in front of the University of Hawaii (123-126).

Humboldt State's Rosa Granados crossed the line first in the women's race with a time of 18:11. Portland's Ellie Erikson and Anna-Sophie Meusberger crossed together at 18:18 to place second and third, respectively. Hawaii's Sophia Morgan edged out Humboldt's Saedy Williamson by one second for fourth, with times of 18:22 and 18:23.

The women's Gold race saw Southern Oregon University claim the team title with five top 10 finishers, scoring 30 points on the afternoon. Lewis & Clark College slipped past the University of Oregon Running Club, 77-78, to finish second.

Southern Oregon's Kayla Clayton won the individual title with a time of 18:46. Oregon Tech's Delani Dietrich was second with a time of 18:54 while Lane CC's Piper Crook was third at 18:55.

Oregon Tech won the team title in the men's Golf race, scoring 54 points with Lewis & Clark finishing second with 63. Southern Oregon was third, combining for 74 points.

Oregon Tech's Mark French had the top time, crossing the line in 24:39 with Eastern Oregon's Travis Running finishing second with a time of 24:55, just one second in front of Lewis & Clark's Cole Olsen.

The Bearcats run at home again on Saturday, Oct. 16, hosting the Repeat Mile at Bush's Pasture Park. The first race is set to go off at 9:00 a.m. (PDT).