Press Release
9/22 - BEAR FETE INVITATIONAL: Linfield Men, Whitman Women Breeze to Bear Fete Finishes
Wes Cook Bear Fete Invitational Results (M)
Wes Cook Bear Fete Invitational Results (W)
BROOKS, Ore. - Winning by comfortable margins, the Linfield College men and the Whitman College women captured the Wes Cook Bear Fete Invitational cross country races hosted by George Fox University Saturday morning here at Willamette Mission State Park.
In the men's 8K race, Linfield scored 35 points, followed by George Fox with 65, Willamette University with 73, Whitman with 79, GFU Alumni with 122, Lewis & Clark College with 137, and Pacific Lutheran University with 177. Pacific University had individual runners but no team score.
The individual winner was Allen Wagner, running unattached, with a time of 25:26.10, followed 20 seconds later by Harrison Wilson of Linfield with a 25:46.20. The Wildcats took the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th spots for team scoring to easily out-distance the runner-up and host Bruins.
George Fox's top runner was Jordan Ware, who placed 8th overall and 7th for scoring with a time of 26:18.60. He was followed closely by Cam Eberhart in 26:22.10 (10th/9th) and Grant Finney in 26:22.36 (11th/10th). Also counting for the Bruins were Paul Rapet in 26:59.40 (20th/18th) and Bradley Higgins in 27:05.90 (23rd/21st).
Bruin alums Brandon Workman (25:51.90), John Mantalas (26:40.20), and David Delmore (27:12.80) also had nice runs, finishing 5th, 14th, and 25th overall.
In the women's 6K race, Whitman tallied 41 points, followed by Lewis & Clark with 82, George Fox with 91, Linfield with 92, Pacific Lutheran with 94, and Willamette with 108. Again, Pacific had individual runners but no team score.
Lewis & Clark took the top two individual spots, Amanda Phillips besting Tamma Carleton by over 27 seconds, 21:46.50 to 22:13.90. Whitman was consistent in taking the 4th, 5th, 7th, 11th, and 14th places to win the team title.
Rachel Giffey-Brohaugh was the Bruins' top runner for the third time in as many races this fall, finishing 8th overall and 6th in scoring with a mark of 23:11.50. She was followed by Anna McLain in 23:50.40 (15th/12th), Bethany Adams in 24:15.80 (26th/21st), Sarah Curry in 25:02.80 (32nd/25th), and Nicole Fleming in 25:17.20 (36th/27th).
The top Bruin alum was Leighann Fischer, now a George Fox assistant coach, who placed 24th overall in 24:12.80.
The Bear Fete Invitational was re-established by the George Fox cross country program this fall after a one-year hiatus, caused when a suitable date could not be found last year at the former home of the event, Champoeg State Heritage Area near St. Paul, Ore. The Invitational returned this year with a new title honoring Wes Cook, the former George Fox cross country and track and field coach who took the Bruins to national prominence during his 19-year career at the school (1987-2006). Cook was on hand to serve as a starter for the races and to meet with several of his former athletes who returned for the day.
Next up for the George Fox teams is the Charles Bowles Invitational, hosted by Willamette on Saturday, Sept. 29, at 9:30 a.m. at Bush's Pasture Park in Salem, Ore.