Defiance Cross Country Opens Season at Bluffton Invitational

BLUFFTON, OHIO -- The Defiance College men's cross country team kicked off the 2017 cross country season with a ninth place finish at the Back to the Nature Preserve Invitational, a six-kilometer race on the campus of Bluffton University on Friday.

The Yellow Jackets were led by junior Daren Gies (Plymouth), who set a personal best six-kilometer time with a 21:24.1 and a 66th place finish. Freshman Tyler Hines (Cincinnati/Northwest) followed up Gies with a 93rd place finish and a time of 23:35.7.

Fellow freshman Aubrey Griggs (Ft. Wayne, Ind./Smith Academy) clocked in with a 25:12.8 in his premiere collegiate race, placing 107th. Junior Brandon Zartman (Paulding) also improved his six-kilometer time from a season ago, placing 113th with a 26:39.1. Freshman Spencer Ross rounded out the field for the Yellow Jackets, placing 116th.

The meet was won by the Ohio Northern Alumni team, who scored 37 points. Ohio Northern placed second with 56, while the University of Findlay rounded out the top three.

The DC herriers will return to action on Saturday, Sept. 9 as they travel to the Ohio Wesleyan Invitational in Delaware, Ohio.