By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
HASTINGS, Neb. – Fort Hays State accomplished the feat of posting a perfect score to win the Bronco Stampede hosted by Hastings College on Saturday (Sept. 12). The Tigers swept the top five placements in the race for a perfect score of 15, topping a field of 10 teams. The top four Tigers nearly crossed the line all at the same time, led by Israel Barco.
Barco edged teammate Justin Moore for the individual title by just 0.2 seconds. Barco covered the 8K course in 26.35.7, while Moore posted 26:35.9. Reed Rome was just 0.3 seconds off Barco’s winning pace, hitting 26:36 flat. Robbie Schmidt was just 0.3 seconds behind Rome in 26:36.3. Only 0.6 seconds separated first through fourth.
Kaleb Crum gave the Tigers a perfect team score by crossing the line in 26:56.8. He was still nearly 10 seconds faster than sixth-place finisher Nelson Kemboi of Southeast (Neb.) Community College.
The Tigers still would have dominated the team scoring with their second wave of runners. Abraham Garcia finished eighth, Peter Franklin was ninth, Robert Loeffler was 11th, Seppe van ‘t Westende was 12th, and Michael Eisenbarth was 13th. Even Caleb Carrasco, Guillaume Plagneaux, and Jorge Gallegos were in the top 20.
Friends University was the closest competitor to the Tigers, finishing with 88 team points. Concordia (Neb.) was third with 123.
Fort Hays State returns to action in a couple of weeks at the Emporia State Invitational on Friday, September 27.