By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
EMPORIA, Kan. – The Fort Hays State men’s cross country team finished third at the 2018 MIAA Cross Country Championships Saturday (Nov. 3). Israel Barco led the Tigers to the line, earning honorable mention All-MIAA status after finishing 16th. Emporia State University hosted this year’s meet at Jones Park.
The Tigers picked up 111 points as a team, good enough for their second-best finish at the conference race in MIAA history. Missouri Southern took the team title with 31 points. The women’s team finished fifth at the conference meet.
Barco earned his 16th-place finish after completing the eight-kilometer course in 26:28.1. Alex Barbosa finished one spot behind Barco at 17th, crossing the finish line in 26:34.3. Justin Moore turned in a time of 26:35.5, good for 18th place. Along with Barco, Barbosa and Moore also earned honorable mention All-MIAA status for their efforts. Reed Rome traversed the course in 26:46.2 to place 28th, while Layton Werth rounded out the scoring with a 32nd-place finish (26:54.7).
Missouri Southern’s Gidieon Kimutai claimed the individual title with a time of 25:17.7, edging second-place by 5.1 seconds.
The Tigers will return to the course in two weeks when they travel to Joplin, Mo. for the NCAA Division II Central Region Championships on November 17. The men’s race is set to commence at 10 a.m.