YPSILANTI, Mich. – Albion College had its top five runners finish in a 41-second gap in the Eastern Michigan University Celebration Meet.
Mitch Clinton, a senior who was an all-region performer at the end of last season, was the first Briton to reach the finish line. He finished 46th in the field of 186 runners, crossing the finish line of the 5,000-meter course in 16 minutes, 14 seconds.
Alex Dermody trailed Clinton by just seven seconds, finishing 54th. First-year runners Andrew Wittland (16:36) and Mark Klingel (16:49) and junior Erik Davis (16:43) completed Albion's top five.
Ryan Watson, a newcomer to the Briton cross country roster, and first-year athlete Brett Navarre completed the course in less than 17 minutes.
"The 1-5 gap is closer than it has been on any team I've been a part of," Clinton said. "Alex Dermody put in a lot of work this summer and had a huge race. These first year guys are making an impact already, and they will continue to this season."
Albion College Results
Distance: 5,000 meters
Albion's next meet is the Spartan Invitational. The meet is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 18 at the Forest Akers East Golf Course.
