Pocatello, ID — The Westminster cross country program took another step forward this weekend at the Bengal Invite, hosted by Idaho State University.
The men's race was defined early by a quick pace set by the leaders, with Idaho State's Seth Babbel ultimately capturing the individual crown in 24:48.0. Utah State and Southern Idaho followed with a flurry of top-20 finishes to establish control in the team standings. For Westminster, Liam Thompson ran a composed race, finishing 36th overall in 27:27.1, and served as the Griffins' front runner throughout. Junior Elliot Vargas wasn't far behind, clocking 27:54.7 for 41st place, while freshman Jacob Fornander continued his strong debut season with a 47th-place finish in 28:29.8. Veterans James Stock and Diego Escalante closed out the scoring five, giving Westminster a solid grouping in the middle of the pack. Depth came from Walker Hall and Nicc Winegar, who continue to provide consistency and push the Griffins forward.
The women's race featured a fast, competitive front pack highlighted by Weber State senior Danielle Brow, who won in 18:07.6 while leading the Wildcats to the team title in 1:32:20. Idaho State and Southern Idaho followed closely behind, with Westminster asserting themselves for a strong fourth-place finish. Freshman Ashley Cottino impressed with a breakthrough performance, placing 29th overall in 19:12.6 to lead the Griffins. Sophomore Eileen O'Connor (34th, 19:27.6) and classmate Angela Martin Rubin (43rd, 20:12.2) worked well in tandem, keeping Westminster in contention for a top-four result. Two more freshmen, Sonya Brunner (45th, 20:22.4) and Haven Finley (47th, 20:31.5), rounded out the scoring lineup with strong contributions, reflecting the team's depth and youth. Kira Tree (22:55.9, 58th) also added to the Griffin effort, providing critical experience in her first collegiate season.
The Griffins now turn their attention to the SF State Invitational on October 10th, where they will look to carry forward the momentum gained in Pocatello and continue sharpening ahead of conference and regional championships.
