FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Results
AURORA, Ill. (Sept. 11, 2010) - Several of the younger members of the North Central College men's cross country team were given the chance to shine at the Aurora University Spartan Classic on Friday, and they took full advantage as the Cardinals placed second in the 13-team event at Oakhurst Forest Preserve.
With the bulk of the team's veterans held out of the race in preparation for next week's Illinois Intercollegiates, the Cardinals still had all of their top five finishers among the top 22 individual competitors, scoring 48 points to finish behind only the University of Chicago, which tallied 22 points.
North Central's top four finishers were freshmen, led by
Pat Lesiewicz, who dominated the field in posting his first collegiate victory. He finished the 8,000-meter (five-mile) course in 25 minutes, 36.1 seconds, nearly 14 seconds faster than his closest adversary.
Kevin Sparks was the next runner to cross the line for the Cardinals, placing fifth in 25:52.7, while
John Crain also cracked the top 10, placing eighth in 26:05.2.
Albert Ciolek finished 19th in 26:22.5 and junior
Kelvin Guilbault rounded out the scoring by placing 22nd in 26:32.2.
The Illinois Intercollegiates will be contested at Weibring Golf Club in Normal, Ill., on Friday. Racing is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.