Sept. 23, 2022, GRAYING, Mich. – All-American runners Kaylee Scott and Audrey Meyering and freshman Mason Kolhoff finished among the top five, helping the nationally ranked Grand Rapids Community College cross country teams to a second-place finish at the Kirtland Firebird Invitational on Friday.
The women's team, ranked No. 6 in the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association poll of the season, was just 14 points back of first place and No. 1 ranked Lansing Community College, but 34 points ahead of third-place Mott Community College.
First-year head coach Rob Hyde said it was a really fun race to watch while waiting for his men's race to begin.
"The women really put themselves in a good spot and then moved all the way through the entire race. Definitely beat more people in the second half," he said.
Scott placed second overall in a field of runners that consisted of 87 Michigan Community College Athletic Association competitors. Her time of 20:46 was 26 seconds faster than Meyering, who finished in fifth place.
Other women runners included Rose Meyer, ninth place with a time of 21:31; Mariana Zaragoza, 17th place in 22:08; Chloe Jones in 25th place in 22:56; and Zoe Zawacki, 46th place in 25:04.
The men's team, which came into the rankings at No. 13, lost to Lansing Community College, the top-ranked team in the nation, by just two points.
Kolhoff led GRCC for the fourth time this season with an 8-kilometer time of 27:02, good for third place, in a field of 109 MCCAA runners.
Both Dan Kehoe and Andrew Periard also cracked the top 10, with times of 27:32 and 27:47.
2021 All-American Coleman Clark placed 19th in his first event of the season with a time of 28:31.
Other men runners included Lucas Schneider, 20th place with a time of 28:36; Craig Fuller, 23rd place in 28:43; Derek Hopkins in 27th place in 28:55; Zach Richards, 39th place in 30:03; and Alex Weber, 63rd place in 32:29.
“I’m very happy with the men today,” Hyde said. “They definitely beat their ranking. Good pack running helped us get a good team placing, along with personal records and team bests. Our eyes are on the regionals and the nationals, and today helped us get closer as a team.”
GRCC is next scheduled to compete in the Oakland Community College Invitational on Sept. 30.