Chattanooga, TN – Freshman Martin Rejman earned a top-10 finish but the going was tough for Austin Peay State University men’s cross country team in Friday’s Powerade Invitational, hosted by Chattanooga at Moccasin Bend.
Rejman placed 10th with a 16:13.23 mark, closely followed by classmates Daniel Hamm (16:40.40, 13th), Alex Haycraft (17:03.31, 14th) and Kyle Harmon (17:06.74, 15th) – the kind of pack mentality the Govs displayed in Memphis last week and that head coach Doug Molnar is encouraged by in his young squad.
![APSU Men's Cross Country. (Courtesy: Keith Dorris/Dorris Photography) APSU Men's Cross Country. (Courtesy: Keith Dorris/Dorris Photography)](https://www.clarksvilleonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/apsu-mens-cross-country-3-480x307.jpg)
Competing in his first race after missing last week’s Brooks Memphis Twilight, senior Tyler Kepley rounded out the Govs scoring five with a 17:27.73 mark, good for 17th. Freshmen Hunter Guthrie (17:29.30, 18th), Thomas Owen (18:23.61, 21st) and Nathan Sparks (19:13.06, 22nd) also saw action for the Govs.
“I think we ran pretty well,” Molnar said. “There was definitely improvement from last week to this week. We were up against a couple of senior-laden teams in Chattanooga and Middle Tennessee and I think we did well.”
Austin Peay will run its third race in three weekend’s at next week’s Vanderbilt Invitational at Percy Warner Park, which will mark the mid-point of the cross country season. The men’s race is scheduled for 9:00am.