GRANTHAM, PA – The Wilkes University men's cross country team finished in eighth place at the Messiah Invitational Saturday afternoon. The Colonels posted a total of 202 team points in the 8k race.

Full Results
 
Franco Balbuena (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Coughlin) topped the Wilkes finishers recording the second fastest time in school history in the 8k taking 12^th place with a time of 28:03.90. Balbuena topped his personal-best time by ten seconds in the race.
 
Matthew Houser (Hazleton, PA/Hazleton) followed crossing the line in 39^th place at 29:28.09. Kevin Singhel (Athens, PA/Athens Area) finished in 61^st place with a time of 30:29.41 while Alan Sebastianelli (Archbald, PA/Valley View) took home 70^th place at 31:03.98. Ryan Weber (West Haven, CT/West Haven) finished in 71^st place at 31:05.36, Kendrick Schell (Northampton, PA/Northampton) in 77^th place at 31:38.17, Brandon Ver-Non (Peckville, PA/Valley View) in 78^th place at 31:41.91, Killian Sloan (Bridgeton, NJ/Cumberland Regional) in 81^st place at 31:47.33 and Nicholas Moullette (Pompton Lakes, NJ/Pompton Lakes) in 82^nd place at 31:48.67.
 
Jason Montemuro (Jim Thorpe, PA/Jim Thorpe) (107^th/34:35.38), James Bowman (Milford, NJ/Delaware Valley Regional) (113^th/35:35.10) and Jeremiah Bower (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Meyers) (119^th/38:33.79) rounded out the Colonel finishers.
 
Wilkes competes next on October 8 at the DeSales Invitational starting at 10:30 a.m.