Augustana Freshman Wins Early Opener as 10th ranked Vikings Begin 2008 XC Season
Courtesy of Augustana Athletics Web Site

Men's Individual Results

ROCK ISLAND, Illinois – Just one day after learning that it will start the 2008 season ranked 10th in NCAA Division III, the Augustana Vikings men’s cross country team had its first meet. Competing in the Augustana Early Opener on Friday, August 29, the Vikings of veteran hall of fame coach Paul Olsen turned loose a talented class of freshmen.

Billy Wisser (Hersey HS, Mt. Prospect, Ill.) won the four mile race, which was held along the roads of Sunset Marina along the banks of the Mississippi River in Rock Island, with a fine time of 20:13. He led the way as Augustana completely dominated the event. Viking runners grabbed nine of the first 10 positions and all of them were freshmen.

Behind Wisser, who won the race by 24 seconds, was Billy TenBusch (Prairie Ridge HS, Cary, Ill.) with a time of 20:37. Thomas Christian (Port Angeles HS, Port Angeles, Ill.) took third in 20:48. Brandon Gittleman (Naperville Central HS, Naperville, Ill.) was fourth in 21:28. Chris Lanhum of Culver Stockton broke up the Viking dominance by placing fifth in 22:01.

Nick Danzy (Naperville Central HS, Naperville, Ill.) was sixth in 22:15, Patrick Manser (St. Charles North HS, Elburn, Ill.) placed seventh in 22:20 and Dean Burrier (Western Reserve Academy, Stow Ohio) finished eighth in 23:07. Ian Williams (Moline HS, Moline, Ill.) held down the ninth spot in 23:09 and Dan Hearne (Lincoln Way East HS, Mokena, Ill.) was 10th in 23:16.

The meet, which was originally scheduled for Credit Island in Davenport, Iowa, was held at Sunset Marina in Rock Island. Flooding along the Mississippi River in June has forced Augustana to search for a new home course. The race on Friday night at Sunset Marina will be the only one that the Vikings will run at that venue. The two other home meets will be at other venues. On Saturday, September 27 Augustana will host the Brissman/Lundeen Invitational at Saukie Golf Course in Rock Island and the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional on November 15 will be at Highland Springs Golf Course in Rock Island.

Augustana’s next competition will be on Saturday, September 13 when Olsen will split his squad and take half the runners to the Les Duke Invitational in Grinnell, Iowa and half to the Luther Invitational in Decorah, Iowa.