Sarah Hawbaker
Lindsborg News Record

The Bethany College cross country team competed in the Missouri Southern Stampede Sept. 15 in Joplin, Mo. in very undesirable conditions.

Despite soaking rain and shin-deep water in some sections of the course, three individuals hit personal best times while another was just five seconds from a lifetime best.

Assistant Coach Aaron Yoder said the men ran very strong in their first 8k race of the season.

Competing for the men were sophomore Jeremiah Gerardy (56), Maquoketa, Iowa; sophomore James Farris (59), Lincoln, Kan.; junior Jordan Dahlke (89), Holyrood, Kan.; freshman Zach Hartwell (120), Norton, Kan.; junior Will Nez (133), Sanders, Ariz.; and senior James Vieyra (165), Hutchinson, Kan.

Gerardy nearly missed a PR while Farris lost time due to a lost shoe in the muddy course. Yoder said Farris kept his composure and ran tough.

Dahkle's time of 28:17 was a PR despite struggling at the three-mile mark.

As a team the men finished 17^th overall.

Competing for the women were freshman Kylee Martinez (87^th), Lyons, Kan.; freshman Courtney Lomax (150), Katy, Texas and sophomore Joanna Roberts (194), Lindsborg, Kan.

Competing against 196 other runners, Martinez and Lomax ran the first mile a bit fast, Yoder said.

The 5k was Lomax's first 5k, showing improvement from the previous race. Roberts ran a PR in Joplin.

"Despite adverse weather conditions, the women showed a lot of focus by running PR's and moving up on the competition at the Southern Stampede," Yoder said.

The teams will next run at the Emporia State University Invitational slated for Sept. 28.