TURLOCK — The Cal State Stanislaus men's and women's cross country teams kicked off its season today with the annual Stanislaus Invitational — and as expected both squad won the team competition.
April Montgomery led a pack of Warriors to win the women's 6K with CSU Stanislaus scoring 17 points with its top five runners finishing in the top seven. The men netted 16 points in the 8K run with five runners among the top six collegiate finishers.
Montgomery clocked 24:36 to win the women's side in the event held on the campus course at Cal State Stanislaus. She was followed by teammates Clarissa Rivera, Lindsey Viltrakis and Andrea Johnson. Two Cal State East Bay runners came in fifth and sixth, just ahead of Denali Foldager, who also figured in the team scoring.
Foldager, one of the two twin sisters from Seward, Alaska, led the way through the first mile loop. Her twin sister Rubye, was 10th.
Cal State East Bay finished second as a team with 47 points, followed by Las Positas Junior College. Runners also came from Holy Names University and San Jose City College.
On the men's side, seven Warriors came in in the top nine behind Jose Morales, who was running unattached after completing his athletic eligible this past spring. Morales clocked 26:27 with new Warrior Eric Gutierrez the first collegiate finisher at 26:59. He was followed closely by Shane Brookshire, Joey Nunes and Dawson Vordegruegge.
Gutierrez is a freshman from Stockton's Stagg High School.
With Morales leading the entire way, the front-four Warriors stayed as a pack through the first three loops until some separation coming into the final mile. Diljeet Taylor, first year head coach of the Warriors, would like to see the fifth Warrior come in closer to the front four to finish the gap.
The fifth Warrior to finish was Ivan Bojorquez, who came in seventh overall in 28:45 — more than 80 seconds behind the fourth Warrior (Vordegruegge, 27:24).
Cal State Stanislaus cross country teams will take next weekend off from competition before traveling down to San Bernardino for the CCAA Preview meet on Sept. 20.
Results