FHSU men’s and women’s cross country take first at Sand Plum Invitational

VICTORIA, Kan. – Both the Fort Hays State men’s and women’s cross country teams took the team titles at the Sand Plum Invitational Thursday evening. The Tiger men finished first with 19 team points, placing seven runners in the top-eight spots. The women also scored 19 team points, placing all five scoring runners in the top seven.

Senior Try Wineinger won the men’s event after traversing the five-kilometer course in 15:17.03, capturing his second career victory at FHSU. Sophomore Sophie Dalmasso won the women’s individual title with a personal-best time of 18:17.93 on the five-kilometer course.

Junior transfer Oscar Carmona was the third runner to cross the line in the men’s race, running in 15:42.75. Jacob Thomas (15:44.39) and Layton Werth (15:48.64) finished fourth and fifth, respectively, while senior Feysel Rahmeto rounded out the scoring for FHSU with a sixth-place finish, posting a time of 15:53.08.

In all, 20 Tigers completed the race with 16 runners finishing in the top half of the 56-man field. MIAA rival Emporia State finished second with 54 points, 35 back of the FHSU total. Colby CC, Garden City CC and Dodge City CC finished in third, fourth and fifth in the team competition, respectively.

The Tigers will return to action next weekend when they travel to Emporia, Kan. for the Emporia State Invitational Friday, Sept. 23. The men will compete in an eight-kilometer race for the first time this season when the gun goes off at 5:45 p.m.

Sophie Dalmasso won Thursday's Sand Plum Invitational (Courtesy FHSU Athletics) — Sophie Dalmasso won Thursday’s Sand Plum Invitational (Courtesy FHSU Athletics)

Shea Bonine finished second for the women after completing the course in 18:32.6, a new personal-best for the junior. Chelsea Jackson (18:54.04) and Micki Krzesinski (19:22.05) finished third and fourth, respectively, for the Tigers. Sophomore Yessenia Gonzales rounded out the scoring in seventh with a time of 19:59.52.

Forty-two runners from four institutions competed in the event, with Colby CC finishing second after compiling 63 points. Dodge City CC finiished in third with 75 points with MIAA rival Emporia State bringing up the rear with 81 team points.

The Tigers will return to action next weekend when they travel to Emporia, Kan. for the Emporia State Invitational Friday, Sept. 23. The women’s five-kilometer race will begin at 5 p.m.