FAYATTEVILLE, ARK. – The Nebraska Kearney cross country teams placed seventh (men) and 12th (women) at the 35th Annual Chile Pepper Festival Friday night in Fayetteville, Ark.It was an unusually hot fall night for the large event attended by NCAA Division I and II schools as well as top junior colleges and NAIA programs. The women ran a 5k (Harter’s Habanero) with the men following with an 8k (McDonell Memorial). “Open” races, for junior colleges through D2, followed the main events. The 15th-ranked men tallied 293 points to place ahead of 13 D1 schools as well as several D2 rivals. All five Lopers scorers were in the top 77 with the field consisting of 292 finishers. The regionally-ranked women were at 379 points and ran past many D1 schools as well as getting some key D2 wins. Four of UNK’s scorers were in the top 77 with 297 runners reaching the finish line. Iowa junior Myles Bach (41st/25:14.7) led the men with Omaha sophomore Nick Abdalla (56th/25:25.2) close behind. Arkansas, ranked 22nd in Division I, had five of the top six finishers to score 18 points and win going away with No. 11 Western Colorado (93) the runner up. No. 30 Missouri Southern, Central Missouri and Drury were three of the D2 teams UNK bested.Also scoring for UNK was Kansas junior Brett Schonenhofer (62nd/25:32.4), Blair junior Sam Lueders (71st/25:44.8) and Grand Island freshman Juan Garcia (77th/25:49.4). Finally, junior Eder Garcia was right behind his brother in 93rd place (26:01.9).The 20th-ranked Razorback women tallied 20 points to win with Southern Methodist (89) second and No. 6 Western Colorado third (121). UNK got past regionally-ranked Southwest Baptist and Union (Tenn.) with Drury just two points ahead in 10th place.Individually, Fremont junior Mara Hemmer (57th/18:21.7) and Kearney junior Grace Bonsall (69th/18:32.1) led the Lopers with the Hogs having the top four finishers. Albion junior Jordan Soto-Stopak (75th/18:38.5), York sophomore Brynn Hirschfeld (77th/18:39.7) and Central City sophomore Ella Buhlke (135th/19:08.9) rounded out the Loper scorers.UNK heads to the 2nd Annual Platte River Rumble on Oct. 13 in Ashland.
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