NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind.-- The Trine men's cross country team opened its season with a strong performance, taking first in the Manchester University Hokum Karem Tuesday night.

The performance of Thunder runners earned the team 10 points. The race consisted of pairs of runners alternating one-mile laps. Each runner in a pairing ran four miles for a total combined distance of eight miles. Trine's top duo of Austin Ganger (Mishawaka, Ind./Mishawaka) and Adam Schaaf (Greentown, Ind./Eastern) combined to place first. This is the second-consecutive year the Thunder have taken first in the event.

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Ganger and Schaaf combined for a time of 40:20.9 to average a 5:03 mile pace. Each runner got stronger as the race wore and save their best performance for the final lap, as both Ganger and Schaaf ran sub-five minute times in their last mile. This is the second-consecutive first-place finish for the pairing at the Hokum Karem.

Also finishing in the top five for the Thunder was the duo of Michael Becker (Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon) and Nicholas Zak (St. John, Ind./Hanover Central), who placed fourth. Zak also performed at his best over the final leg of his first collegiate race, running a 4:51 over the last mile. Zak and Becker finished in 40:40.03 to average a 5:08 mile pace.

Garrett Benedict (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield Central) and Aaron Mast (Ligonier, Ind./West Noble) were the final Trine tandem to finish in the top-five in fifth-place. The juniors finished in 41:04 to average a 5:08 mile.

Trine runners also locked down the seventh-through-ninth place spots in the event. Overall, the Thunder captured six of the top 10 finishes in the race.

Trine will compete in the Indiana Intercollegiate Friday, Sept. 18 at Indiana State University.

Team standings from the Hokum Karem are listed below.

1. Trine, 10
2. Manchester, 19
3. Wabash, 20
4. Defiance, 29