Hudson Hamilton was the top collegiate finisher and led a contingent of nine Dordt University men's cross country runners to place among the top 11 as the Defenders ran away with the team title at their home meet, the Sunflower Open presented by Rankin / Veenstra Wealth Management. Today's race, the first of three home meets for Dordt, took place on the Defenders Cross Country Course.

• Results | PDF

Hamilton, the leader for much of the race, was overtaken during the final lap by an unattached runner and Dordt alum, Jacob Vander Plaats. Hamilton came across the finish line in second place with a 6K time of 18:34, 13 seconds in back of Vander Plaats. Hamilton posted his highest finish as a Defender, bettering his previous best of eight place at Mount Marty last year. 

Four Dordt runners finished among the top five and eight Defenders came across the finish line among the top 10. Jackson Prins was the next Dordt runner to come across, doing so in third place with a time of 18:37. Prins and Hamilton ran much of the race together and both posted their best finish. Trace Obbink was the next Dordt runner to finish, earning a fourth place finish with a time of 18:40. Bennett Visser secured his best finish in a Dordt uniform by placing fifth with a time of 18:43, followed by Jamison Velzke (6th - 18:46) and Caleb Van Beek (7th - 18:47). 

The men had a strong start to the season.  The strength of this group is the density of the pack.  Having five men cross the line in 12 seconds and 13 within 35 seconds is exciting.  I thought the men were aggressive and their preparation from this summer showed as they worked very well over the course of the 6,000m.  It was a beautiful day to race and a great way to start the season," said Dordt University Head Coach Nate Wolf

Northwestern freshman Davis Johnson finished eighth (18:47) followed by two more Dordt runners, Justin Kroeze (9th - 19:00) and Tyler Rozenboom (10th - 19:02). 

Dordt easily won the team title with a perfect score of 15 points, followed by Northwestern (53pts), Dakota State (79pts) and Briar Cliff (120pts).

By the Numbers:

• the Defenders total time among their top five runners was 1:33; and 2:11.1 for the top seven
• Dordt's 1-5 split was 13 seconds; 1-7 split was 26 seconds
• this was the first 6K race that the Defenders competed in; so no personal bests
• Defenders who posted their best finish:
  • Hudson Hamilton
  • Jackon Prins
  • Trace Obbink
  • Bennett Visser
  • Jamison Velzke
  • Caleb Van Beek
  • Justin Kroeze
  • Tyler Rozenboom 
  • Isaac Fagan
  • Lawson Burkhart
  • Brett Gifford
  • Jonathan Breems 
  • Justin Rygh
  • Anderson Schuttinga
  • Matthew Johnson
  • Sammy King (match)
• 97 runners competed today
• 41 Defenders finished the race