HENNIKER, N.H. – Maine Maritime Academy placed five runners in the top 45 of the 108-runner field at New England College's Mayflower Kickoff on Friday, leaving the Mariners fifth among the 13 teams competing. Wyatt LaPage (Portsmouth, N.H./Portsmouth) covered the five-kilometer course in 19:21, good enough for 30th place. He was 3:21 off of the championship pace set by last year's champion, Babson's Mark Gulesian. Gulesian led the Beavers to their second victory at the meet in as many seasons.
Freshman Chase Reidlebach (Virginia Beach, Va./Frank W. Cox) finished 31st, two seconds behind LaPage, while Evan Vashon (Waterville, Maine/Waterville) was seven spots and eight seconds behind him.
Newcomer Vijay Kataria (Grassy Creek, N.C./Ashe County) and Cameron Roy (Orrington, Maine/Orrington) both posted 19:49 for 44th and 45th places, respectively, helping the Mariners to a finish above the hosting Pilgrims. New England College won the North Atlantic Conference a year ago.
Maine Maritime returns to action next Saturday at St. Anselm's Shacklette Invitational.
