Oct. 6, 2006

Results

Grand Valley State's men's cross country team had a solid performance at the Michigan Intercollegiate Cross Country Championships in Big Rapids, Mich. Friday. The races consisted of schools from both Division I and Division II. The Lakers will run in the GLIAC Championship in Findlay, Ohio on Oct. 21.

GVSU won the 4K race with 25 points, just four points ahead of second place Calvin College. Junior Nate Peck won his second straight meet as he finished in a time of 11:40.1. Senior Ryan Holm ran a time of 12:01.2 for fifth place, while junior James Gale took seventh place with a time of 12:02.9. Senior Nic Gatlin posted a time of 12:10.5 for 12th place, junior Robbie Young ran a 12:19.6 for 15th, and senior John Collins placed 20th, running a time of 12:30.3.

The Lakers finished in second place in the 8K race, tallying 90 points, four points less than third place Central Michigan. Wayne State won the race with just 18 points. Sophomore Chris Hammer finished in fourth place with a time of 24:38.6, while junior Mark VanderMeer took eighth (24:57.1). Junior Brad Hunter took 16th place (25:28.3), redshirt freshman Curtis Barclay ran a 25:44.7 for 21st place, and senior Nathan Fujioka placed 41st with a time of 26:24.6. Redshirt freshman Ross Faasse ran a time of 26:38.0 for 50th place and senior Matt Anderson placed 62nd with a time of 27:03.3

"This was the first time in awhile that we beat Calvin," said head coach Jerry Baltes. "They are a very good team, currently ranked #1 in the Division III poll. Coach Hoekstra and Diemer do an outstanding job with their student-athletes and to be able to knock them off was a great accomplishment."

"I was very proud of how we competed over the last 1000 meters of the race, added Baltes. "We had to come from behind to get the win. It is important thet we have this experience as we head into the remainder of the season."