SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Freshman Derek Nájera and junior Sam Burkett placed inside the top 11 Friday night (Sept. 11), leading the John Brown University men's cross country team to a fourth-place finish among 13 teams and the top NAIA showing at the Missouri State Queen City After Dark at the Betty and Bobby Allison Sports Town.
John Brown scored 114 points and posted a team time of 1:36:05 over the 6K course. Missouri S&T won the team title with 38 points, followed by Drury (Mo.) with 53 and Crowder (Mo.) with 102.
Competing in just the second cross country race of his career, Nájera led the Golden Eagles for the second straight meet, finishing eighth overall in 18:46. Burkett, making his season debut after returning from injury, followed just three seconds later in 11th at 18:49.
A pair of sophomores followed to keep the Blue and Gold packed tightly together. Ethan Elder finished 34th in 19:30, while Daniel Ogomo crossed 36th in the same time. Senior Zach Briscoe rounded out the scoring five in 38th at 19:32. Just 46 seconds separated JBU's first and fifth scorers.
The mostly flat course featured a long opening straightaway with a gradual climb, with the men's race beginning under the lights at 9:45 p.m.
"We're incredibly proud of both squads and the way they performed as a team," head coach Peter Cunningham said. "We've never looked this sharp this early in a season.
"Our men executed exactly what we needed them to as a team. Derek put together another great performance, and with him still in the learning phase of the sport and Sam, coming off an injury, we have high hopes for how the season could progress for them and the rest of the guys. A 46-second split between our scorers is a really tight pack, and our men are looking strong."
John Brown returns to action Saturday (Oct. 3) at the Chile Pepper Festival in Fayetteville.
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