The Fontbonne University men’s and women’s cross country team saw several outstanding individual performances during their latest meet, the Gary Stoner Invitational host by Central Methodist University in Fayette, Missouri.

Freshman Rachel Hanson (Rossview HS, Clarksville, TN) finished second overall in the race with a time of 20:09 on a very hilly and challenging 5000 meter course. Hanson has now established herself as one of the favorites at the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) Meet to be held at the end of the month. The women finished third as a team in the Gary Stoner Invitational behind host CMU and Lincoln University.

The men were lead by two outstanding performances by freshmen Everett Jackson (University City HS, University City, MO) and Zach Kassman (Northwest High School, Cedar Hill, MO). The two finished third and fourth respectively amongst the collegiate runners in the 8000 meter (5 miles) race, in respective times of 28:22 and 28:47. Senior Phil Yates (St. Dominic HS, St. Charles, MO) also medaled by finishing in 9^th place amongst college runners. The men’s team finished second as a team in the meet behind the host school.

Injuries slowed the Griffin men some, but the team was bolstered by a strong showing by freshman Antonio Jones (Forest City HS, Forest City, AR), the team’s usual 6^th runner, who used a strong kick at the end of the race to be the 4^th Fontbonne runner to cross the finish line.

The Cross County teams will compete this week on Friday afternoon in Decatur, IL, in the Fast Trax Invitational, hosted by Milliken University.