For a fourth consecutive year, the Covenant cross country teams were both victorious in the annual Mountaintop Invitational. The women put seven runners in the top eight, while the men's team had four of the top five finishers on a hot evening on Lookout Mountain.
Both teams earned 20 points to easily defeat Maryville in the events.
Five women's runners set personal records led by Ruthie Cargill's two-mile time of 13:26, which was good for second place overall. Margaret Fitch finished in 13:45 to set a new personal best and placed fourth overall, while Melanie White completed the course in a new record time of 14:55 for an eighth place finish.
Spookie Eaves was third with a time of 13:34 and Esther Anderson was fifth at an even 14:00.
Freshmen Hannah Samuels and Stephanie Lutz finished sixth and seventh, respectively, with times of 14:13 and 14:39.
Maryville's Emily Guillaume was the individual winner with a time of 13:21.
Covenant runners Sarah Jo Griffith (16:02) and Julia Price (16:06) also set new personal records in the two-mile. Freshmen Lilly Smith (15:19) and Juliette Henry (15:43) placed 11th and 12th, respectively, while Amy Romstadt (18:03) was 18th.
Graham Massot cruised to the individual title on the men's side with a 5k time of 18:15. The victory is his second straight in the Mountaintop Invitational. Maryville's Sean Hagstrom was second, but 15 seconds off the pace that Massot set, as he finished in 18:30.
Making his collegiate debut, Micah Sneller had an impressive showing as he placed third overall with a time of 18:34. Fellow freshmen Reed Vaughn (18:42) and Josh Humpherys (18:45) were not far behind as they placed fourth and fifth, respectively.
Coming in at seventh was freshman Nathan Bierema with a time of 19:21. Hunter Rasmussen was ninth as he completed the course in 19:39. Zach Atchison set a new personal record with his time of 19:47 for a 10th place finish. Eliot Gardner (20:12), Phil Moore (21:10) and Charles Taylor (23:22) rounded out the Covenant finishers.
Women's Results:
2nd - Ruthie Cargill - 13:26
3rd - Spookie Eaves - 13:34
4th - Margaret Fitch - 13:45
5th - Esther Anderson - 14:00
6th - Hannah Samuels - 14:13
7th - Stephanie Lutz - 14:39
8th - Melanie White - 14:55
11th - Lilly Smith - 15:19
12th - Juliette Henry - 15:43
15th - Sarah Jo Griffith - 16:02
16th - Julia Price - 16:06
18th - Amy Romstadt - 18:03
Men's Results:
1st - Graham Massot - 18:15
3rd - Micah Sneller - 18:34
4th - Reed Vaughn - 18:42
5th - Josh Humpherys - 18:45
7th - Nathan Bierema - 19:21
9th - Hunter Rasmussen - 19:39
10th - Zach Atchison - 19:47
11th - Eliot Gardner - 20:12
12th - Phil Moore - 21:10
15th - Charles Taylor - 23:22
UP NEXT
Covenant will travel to Greenville, S.C., on Sept. 12 to compete in the Furman University Classic.