Pride's first October race sees Pate and Franco posting top results

COLUMBIA, Mo. - In their first of back-to-back race weeks for their two October meets, the Clarke University cross country teams produced a pair of solid individual finishes at the Brian T. Simpson Invite on Saturday morning at the Gans Creek Cross Course.

The Pride men posted an eighth place team finish behind a top-10 finish from Drew Pate as he led the way for CU with a 10th place finish time of 26:50.44 in the 8K race while the women were led by Jaycie Franco's 6K time of 20:11.81 for 24th place individually as Clarke ran four women to not qualify for a team score.

The rest of the Clarke women finished with sophomore Bridget Bracy ran a 22:24.22 while freshmen Lexie Dukas and Lilli Green rounding out the day at times of 23:41.56 and 27:22.41.

For the men, Chesney Capron posted the second-best time for the Pride with his 27:41.93 ahead of a trio of 28-minute times from Bryce Kondos, Eric Chatham, and Cord Nietert as Kondos ran a 28:11.15, Chatham putting up a 28:34.23, and Nietert coming in just under 29 minutes at 28:58.48 with Charles Juntunen III closing out the times for the team at a 30:19:64, running in his first race since the season opener on Aug. 29.

Clarke cross country will run their final regular season race of 2025 prior to the Heart of America Athletic Conference Championship when they travel to Peoria, Ill. for the Bradley Pink Classic on Oct. 17.