Posted: Oct 12, 2019
BETHPAGE, NY- Following a one week hiatus from competition, the Union County College Men's Cross Country team was back in action on the course on Saturday for the inaugural Golden Eagle Invitational; held in Bethpage State Park, on Long Island.
As a team, the men placed 17th out of the 27 teams entered into the St. Joseph's College hosted meet.
Sophomore Anthony Paterno, again led the way for the Owls, setting a new 8,000 meter (5 mile) season's best time of 33:43 and finishing in 106th out of the 175 man field. Jose Alvarez was second for the Owls (36:34, 130th place) and Dillon Dering (37:08, 133rd place) was third for the UCC men. Dering showed great improvement over his initial debut two weeks prior at the Osprey Invitation, as he dropped his 8,000 meter time by more than four minutes, from 41:14 to 37:08.
Josh Fitts (39:19, 146th) and Aaron McGriff (39:47, 149th) rounded out the two remaining scoring positions for the Owls.
Freshman Wilfried Dake made his collegiate debut for the Owls, completing the five-mile course in 42:02, finishing in 163rd place.
Next Saturday, October 19, the men travel south for the Rowan University hosted, Inter-Regional Border Battle.