Seattle Pacific squads sixth at Charles Bowles Invitational...

SALEM, Oregon--Seattle Pacific's Heidi Laabs-Johnson (left/photo courtesy Seattle Pacific University) started strong and kept it going all the way to a 10th-place finish at the 37th annual Charles Bowles Invitational, hosted by Willamette University.

The former Falcon soccer player, in her first year of cross country, finished the 5 kilometers that began in Bush's Pasture Park and ended on the track in McCulloch stadium in 18 minutes, 21 seconds, leading SPU to sixth place among the 16 teams with 175 points.

Senior Natty Plunkett was close behind, clocking 18:29 to take 23rd.

The entire Seattle Pacific scoring pack was in the finish chute within 45 seconds of each other. Sophomore McKayla Fricker was the third Falcon across and 46th overall in 18:50; redshirt freshman Robyn Zeidler was 54th in 18:57, and freshman Jasmine Johnson took 63rd in 19:05.

Chico State, led by Alia Gray's individual victory in 17:51, took the team title with 43 points, as the Falcons were sixth at 175. Division III Whitman was seventh at 193, while Whitworth was 12th at 326. Pacific Lutheran was 14th at 385, with the University of Puget Sound 15th at 388, and Central Washington 16th at 457.

In the men's race, freshman Jordan Wolfe led the Falcons with a 26th place finish over the 8k course, running 25:25.

It is the second time this season that Wolfe has been the first Falcon across the finish line. He won the Apple Ridge Run Invitational in Yakima on Sept. 10.

The Falcons checked in sixth with 160 points, well ahead of last season when they were 16th with 488 points.

In the men's race, the University of Portland and Chico State tied at 37 points, with Barak Watson the individual winner at 24:04.

Whitworth was seventh at 198, Central Washington 10th at 318, UPS 12th at 358, Pacific Lutheran 14th at 359, and Whitman was 15th at 366.

Complete results from the Bowles Invitational are available here.

At Lower Woodland Park, Nick Schippers won the men's 8k in 26:35, and Elise Egseth won the women's 6k in 22:35 at the Emerald City Open, hosted by Seattle University.

The Redhawks swept both competitions.

Complete results from the Emerald City Open are available here.

NOTE: The sports information offices of Seattle Pacific, Seattle University, and Willamette University contributed to this report.