GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Mitch Clinton made an impressive jump in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association to finish second as a first-team all-league cross country runner.

Running in the MIAA Championship at Calvin College Saturday, Clinton was the second man to complete the 8K course. That's an improvement of seven places from his ninth place finish in the league jamboree in September. Clinton reached the finish line in 25 minutes, 48 seconds Saturday and trailed Calvin's Zac Nowicki by just 12 seconds.

"Mitch hung tight with the front pack," Albion first-year coach Derick Lawrence said. "He got in good position and made a strong surge over the final kilometer. He was running fourth with 800 meters left and was battling a runner from Hope for second place with 150 meters left."

Clinton beat Hope's Ben Zank to the line by three seconds.

"We knew Mitch had this race in him," Lawrence said.

Albion finished sixth in the team standings. Erik Davis (27:38), Drew Snider (27:40), Alex Dermody (28:20) and Jon Wylie (29:23) completed the Britons top five. Davis and Snider achieved season-best times.

"We are excited to return the entire squad next year," Lawrence said. "We gained valuable experience with the goal of being one of the top five teams next year."

Albion now turns its attention to the Nov. 15 Great Lakes Region Championship at Wilmington, Ohio.