by Kevin Buczek
CHARLOTTE, N.C.-Junior Austin Edmonds recorded a personal record 8k time and five other Bulldogs registered season-best 8k marks to lead Barton College to a 21st place finish out of 28 teams in the 2013 Royal Cross Country Challenge hosted by Queens University of Charlotte on Friday afternoon at McAlpine Creek Park.
Edmonds shaved nearly 90 seconds off his collegiate-best time finishing the endurance race in 26:34. Edmonds placed 35th out of 222 non-Division I harriers. Edmonds has led the Bulldogs in all four regular-season races this season.
Edmonds, a product of Sandy Ridge, N.C., was the only Barton runner in the top-100 despite three Bulldog freshmen improving on their first-ever 8k race a month earlier. Luar Mercado Lopez (29:15), Adam Pope (30:21) and Tyler Amerson (31:50) all set new PR's in their rookie season.
Junior Daniel Strutton (30:36) and senior Anthony Nelson (31:54) also crossed the finish line with their fastest 8k times of 2013. Freshman Yacine Gharbi concluded competition for the Bulldogs at 32:04.
No. 4 Southeast Region ranked King University won the team title with 62 points. No. 5 Mars Hill (93 points) and No. 3 Georgia Regents (105) rounded out the top three positions. Barton took 21st with 556 points with Southeast Region wins against Catawba, Coker, Tusculum and Francis Marion.
Junior Felix Duchampt won the individual title for the host Royals with a trail blazing time of 24:52.
Barton next competes in the 2013 Conference Carolinas Championships hosted by Belmont Abbey College on Friday, October 25 at Frank Liske Park in Concord, N.C.
Royal Challenge (Men's 8k)
556 – Barton (21st/28)
26:36.4 – Austin Edmonds (35th/222)
29:15.3 – Luar Lopez (135th)
30:21.5 – Adam Pope (157th)
30:36.3 – Daniel Strutton (163rd)
31:50.0 – Tyler Amerson (185th)
31:54.2 – Anthony Nelson (186th)
32:04.7 – Yacine Gharbi (187th)
