Steve Travis Invite - MXC

West Allis, WI: The Hawks men's cross country team continued its strong fall campaign at the 26th annual recently renamed Steve Travis Invitational hosted by Wisconsin Lutheran College on Saturday at Greenfield Park. Racing the 8k course through the wooded trails at 12 p.m., the Hawks delivered another solid team effort in one of the Midwest's most traditional meets.

Harper finished fourth out of 11 teams, recording a team score of 114 points and an average scoring time of 29:02. The Hawks placed four runners inside the top 25 overall and had all five scoring runners finish under 31 minutes.

Leading the way for Harper was Ryan Golden, who continued his strong season by finishing 6th overall in 27:03.2. Just behind Golden was Sebastian Welc, who crossed the line in 9th overall with a time of 27:15.2. Both Golden and Welc started toward the back of the pack and steadily worked their way through the field throughout the race, eventually putting themselves firmly into the front pack and securing 6th and 9th place finishes for the Hawks.

When asked how he felt about his race, Golden said, "This was not a fast course, so it came down to being patient and knowing when to make a move. Today, I waited perfectly, starting in the top 30 and finishing 6th, while also running a 30-second course PR. I'm happy with the outcome."

Harper's third runner was Ethan Waddell, who finished 24th overall in 28:35.0. Waddell's performance helped keep the Hawks within striking distance of the teams ahead of them and gave Harper its third scoring position.

Mozart Ontiveros followed for the Hawks, finishing 45th overall in 30:25.1. Ontiveros provided Harper with its fourth scoring position and continued to strengthen the team's depth.

Rounding out Harper's five scorers was Fernando Velásquez, who placed 58th overall with a time of 31:52.4. Velásquez's finish completed the Hawks' scoring five and secured the team's fourth-place finish.

Harper also had two additional runners compete individually. Kevin Martinez finished 64th overall in 32:27.8, while Nestor Sanchez crossed the line in 79th with a time of 34:40.2.

When asked about his race strategy and his role within the team, Martinez said, "During the race, I tried to stick with Fernando, as it was a duty I owed to my team. I started off strong and stayed right with him, but toward the end I started to get tired and began to distance myself. In the final mile, I tried my best to make up the distance, close the gap, and pass as many people as I could, resulting in me finishing just a few seconds behind Fernando."

When asked how confident he is in the group heading toward the championship meets, Sanchez emphasized the team's unity and the support he receives from his teammates and coaches.

"A very secure environment where my teammate Sebas motivates us to keep giving it our all, and where I apply the advice from my coaches and my mother to keep working—just as the whole team does—with a cool head and unity, aiming to win the title once again."

The Hawks' 114-point fourth-place finish came behind Wisconsin Track Club, Wisconsin Lutheran and Concordia University Wisconsin.

The Hawks will return to action on Saturday, October 10th, at the Gene Davis Invitational, hosted by Lawrence University at Reid Municipal Golf Course in Appleton, Wisconsin.

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Players Mentioned

Ryan Golden: Sophomore

Ethan Waddell: Sophomore

Sebastian Welc: Sophomore

Mozart Ontiveros: Freshman

Kevin Martinez: Freshman

Nestor Sanchez: Freshman

Fernando Velásquez: Freshman

Players Mentioned

Ryan Golden
: Sophomore

Ethan Waddell
: Sophomore

Sebastian Welc
: Sophomore

Mozart Ontiveros
: Freshman

Kevin Martinez
: Freshman

Nestor Sanchez
: Freshman

Fernando Velásquez
: Freshman