RIVER FALLS, Wis. - The UW-Oshkosh men's cross country started their season strong, placing six runners in the top ten in their win in the River Town Invitational, hosted by UW-River Falls. The Titans scored only 18 points in their victory. The men raced through light rain and a lot of mud, with many athletes slipping and falling throughout.
 
The Titans were highlighted with a top-three sweep, all started by Cameron Cullen (Kewaunee/Kewaunee) who won the race with a time of 25:51. Second place belonged to Paul Proteau (Riverside, Ill./Riverside Brookfield), who finished in a time of 26:35. Completing the was Jason Skinkis (Seymour/Seymour), who finished in 26:40.
 
The Titans followed with three more top-10 finishers, with Alex Peterson (Oconto Falls/Gillett) taking fifth in 26:43. Trent Chadwick (Poynette/Poynette) secured the win for the Titans as the fifth runner, taking seventh in a time of 26:50. Alex Bernhardt (Appleton/Appleton North) was the final top-10 finisher for the Titans as the sixth runner, placing tenth in a time of 27:05.
 
Aaron Nehls (Fredonia/Ozaukee) and Eli Traeder (Cottage Grove/Monona Grove) were seventh and eighth for the Titans, finishing in 13th and 14th place respectively. Nehls ran the course in 27:19 and Traeder finished with 27:23.
 
Rounding out the top ten for the Titans were Evan Peterson (Oconto Falls/Gillett) at 28:50 and Noah Callahan (/) at 27:52, taking 18th and 19th respectively. Callahan's debut time led the freshman class.
 
UW-Oshkosh had a pack of runners placing 23rd, 24th, and 25th next. Juan Godinez-Ramos (/) was 23rd, running 27:59 in his debut race. Lucas Nicholson (Pewaukee/Pewaukee) also ran 27:59 for 24th and Joe Hertel (West Allis/Nathan Hale) ran 28:04 for 25th. Bennett Midthun (Fond du Lac/Winnebago Lutheran Academy) finished in 28th place, running 28:08.
 
The next freshman to cross the line for the Titans was Grady Roberts (/), who ran 28:13 for 30th place in his debut. Right behind him was Zac Watson (Waukesha/Waukesha South) in 31st place at 28:18. Riley Szymik (Appleton/Appleton North) finished in 28:29 in his collegiate cross country debut. Brady Lewis (Cedarburg/Cedarburg) finished in 34th, running 28:34, and Owen Bostwick (Whitefish Bay/Whitefish Bay) finished in 36th with a time of 28:43.
 
Ben O'Brien (Cecil/Bonduel) was next for the Titans. He finished in 38th place, running 29:00. Jerry Sowers (Oshkosh/Oshkosh West) and Zachary Dietsch (West St. Paul, Minn./Two Rivers) finished back-to-back for the Titans in 41st and 42nd place. Sowers ran a 29:08 and Dietsch ran a 29:16.
 
Noah Mosley (Waukesha/Waukesha North) and Owen Koele (/) were next for the Titans, finishing in 44th and 45th. Mosley ran 29:31, and Koele ran 29:32 in his debut. Kaleb Plate (/) and Zach Osmanski (Algonquin, Ill./Jacobs) were next, taking 47th and 48th in 29:40 and 29:45 respectively.
 
Ashtyn Andersen (/) ran a debut time of 29:57, finishing in 51st place. Celso Collins (/) and Reid Cross (Winchester/Winneconne) finished in 54th and 55th respectively. Collins ran his debut time of 30:24, and Cross finished in 30:26.
 
The Titans return home next week for the UW-Oshkosh Fall Classic on Friday, September 19, hosted at the brand new XC Ranch on the north side of Oshkosh. It will be the first of three times the Titans run at home this season.