COLFAX, Wis.- On Friday (Oct. 3), the UW-Oshkosh men's cross country team placed sixth at the UW-Eau Claire Blugold Invitational.
 
The Titans placed fifth out of the competing North Region teams. UW-Platteville edged out UW-Stevens Point for the team victory with 104 points against the Pointers' 111. Last year's NCAA Division III runner-up, Mohammed Bati of Augsburg University (Minn.), won the meet in a time of 24:39.
 
The Titans had ten athletes compete in the varsity race, which took place at 9:30 a.m. as the weather was starting to heat up. Cameron Cullen (Kewaunee/Kewaunee) led the Titans once again, placing eighth out of over 300 runners. He finished in a time of 24:56 in his return to the course where he qualified for the NCAA Championship meet two years ago. Paul Proteau (Riverside, Ill./Riverside Brookfield) finished the race in 26th place in a time of 25:48. Alex Peterson (Oconto Falls/Gillett) and Trent Chadwick (Poynette/Poynette) both ran their third career sub-26-minute races on Friday. Peterson took 36th in 25:54 and Chadwick finished in 26:24 for 70th place. Jason Skinkis (Seymour/Seymour) was the final point scorer for the Titans. He took 70th in 26:24.
 
Alex Bernhardt (Appleton/Appleton North) was sixth for the Titans, running 26:38 for 85th in his second-best time ever. The Titans' seventh runner was Aaron Nehls (Fredonia/Ozaukee), who ran 26:49 for 103rd place. Bennett Midthun (Fond du Lac/Winnebago Lutheran Academy) was next, running in 27:23 and finishing in 142nd place. Owen Bostwick (Whitefish Bay/Whitefish Bay) finished in 162nd place and ran a time of 27:47. Joe Hertel (West Allis/Nathan Hale) was the final Titan in the varsity race, running 28:17 for 188th.
 
The Titans had an additional 16 athletes compete in the open race, which was at 11 a.m.
 
Riley Szymik (Appleton/Appleton North) led the Titans in that race, running 27:27 for 19th place. Lucas Nicholson (Pewaukee/Pewaukee) followed, running 27:38 for 27th. Zac Watson (Waukesha/Waukesha South) ran under 28 minutes for the second time ever, finishing in 38th with a time of 27:55. Evan Peterson (Oconto Falls/Gillett) was the fourth Titan to cross the line, running a 28:15 for 56th place. Brady Lewis (Cedarburg/Cedarburg) was the final scoring Titan in the open race, running 28:37 for 67th place.
 
The Titans return on Saturday, October 11 as they make the short drive to Appleton for the Gene Davis Invitational, hosted by Lawrence University.