Complete Results (PDF)
Photos Available For Purchase (Sam Santilli Photography)
ELKINS, W.Va. – For the fourth consecutive year, Cedarville again lifted the trophy at the podium as the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Men’s Cross Country Championship finished Saturday.
Led by the G-MAC Runner of the Year, senior Benjamin Tuttle, the Yellow Jackets skillfully navigated their way around rugged and challenging terrain on the picturesque campus of Davis & Elkins College.
Cedarville managed to beat out Trevecca Nazarene in the team race with 31 points to the Trojans' 39.
The G-MAC Coach of the Year nod went to Cedarville’s Paul Orchard. Kentucky Wesleyan rookie Logan Ayer was pronounced the G-MAC Freshman of the Year after finishing 13th.
The top seven finishers were officially first-team all-conference performers. Runners finishing eighth through 14th in the final standings were recipients of second-team all-conference status.
Three Cedarville runners, including Tuttle, landed first-team all-conference honors. Sophomore Daniel Michalski finished fourth and Matt Pelletier placed seventh.
The 8K course at D&E included several steep inclines, a creek crossing and several wooded areas for the runners to pace themselves through.
The host Senators finished third in the seven-team field as Shane Ickes defended his home course with a sixth-place showing. Ohio Valley’s Andrew Shaffer, the 2013 and 2014 D&E Forest Festival Invitational champ, finished fifth.
Tuttle was neck-and-neck with 2014 G-MAC Runner of the Year Logan Rodgers (Trevecca Nazarene) and the two culminated their friendly rivalry to the end, embracing after crossing the finishing line.
Rodgers was the meet’s runner-up as the Trojans placed three runners in the top 10. TNU’s Ben Moroney was in third and Josh Winskie finished eighth overall.
Tuttle and Rodgers could be seen throughout the course talking with each other as they set a torrid pace in the leader’s pack. Tuttle managed to separate himself from Rodgers in the final loop around Davis & Elkins athletic facilities.
Even more symbolic of each teams’ respect for each other, was a circle of prayer following the meet.
The postseason continues and the G-MAC schools now has their sights set on the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional in Evansville, Ind. The men's Midwest Region will receive five automatic team qualifiers to the NCAA Division II Championships. There are additional opportunities to individually qualify.
2015 G-MAC Men’s Cross Country All-Conference Team
Coach of the Year – Paul Orchard, Cedarville
Runner of the Year – Benjamin Tuttle, Cedarville
Freshman of the Year – Logan Ayer, Kentucky Wesleyan
First Team
Benjamin Tuttle – Cedarville – Sr.
Daniel Michalski – Cedarville – So.
Matt Pelletier – Cedarville – Jr.
Logan Rodgers – Trevecca Nazarene – Jr.
Ben Moroney – Trevecca Nazarene – Jr.
Shane Ickes – Davis & Elkins – So.
Andrew Shaffer – Ohio Valley – Sr.
Second Team
Alex Shrock – Cedarville – So.
Zac Bowen – Cedarville – So.
Wyatt Hartman – Cedarville – Jr.
Josh Perez – Cedarville – So.
Josh Winskie – Trevecca Nazarene – Sr.
Taylor Flemming – Trevecca Nazarene – Jr.
Logan Ayer – Kentucky Wesleyan – Fr.