Senior Ben Zank of Midland, Michigan (H.H. Dow HS), clocked a third-place finish to lead the Hope College men's cross country team at the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Jamboree on Saturday.
Zank recorded an 8K time of 26 minutes, 4 seconds at the Eastern Hills Golf Club in Kalamazoo. He trailed in the field of 105 runners only Calvin's Zac Nowicki (25:35) and Adrian's Thomas Windle (25:45).
Hope placed third with a score of 76 points. Calvin (29) won, while Adrian (65) was second. The Flying Dutchmen came in ahead of Trine (133), Olivet (148), Albion (155), Alma (176) and Kalamazoo (178).
Meet results count one-third toward determining the outright MIAA champion. The league championship meet is Saturday, Nov. 1, at Calvin.
Junior Joseph Beemer of St. Joseph, Michigan (St. Joseph HS), pictured, went 26:32 for 10th place.
Senior Zach Zandbergen of Grandville, Michigan (Grandville HS), ran a time of 26:53 for 16th.
Freshman Ben Pederson of Mount Prospect, Illinois (Prospect) finished in 27:35 for 23rd, while sophomore Tyler Brinks of Commerce Township (Walled Lake Northern HS), rounded out Hope's scoring with a run of 27:38 for 24th.
Sophomore Julian Morrison of Aurora, Illinois (Waubonsie Valley HS), and junior Noah Litwiller of Delavan, Illinois (Olympic HS), also competed for the Flying Dutchmen. They both finished in 27:45 for 26th and 27th, respectively.
Hope returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 4, at the Greater Louisville Invitational.
