Abdi Ibrahim Posts Top 5 Finish, Leads Strong Opener for XC Program at Linfield Harrier Classic

RESULTS

MCMINNVILLE, Ore. -- A season after only nine runners competed for the Portland State cross country program at the Linfield Harrier Classic, the Vikings were out in numbers for the 2024 version of the meet Saturday at The Nines Golf Course.

The men - left home a season ago - showed some strong top-end talent between veterans Abdi Ibrahim and Abdinajib Abade, as well as freshman Nick Moore. The Viking women, meanwhile, had their top six finish within 14 spots of each other, flashing the depth they'll need at the end of the season.

Ibrahim provided the best finish for the Vikings on either side as he placed fifth overall - his highest finish at any meet in three seasons running cross country for the Vikings. Ibrahim's time of 18:23.11 also moved him up to third all-time in the cross country 6k at Portland State. He trails only Jordan MacIntosh and Keynan Abdi in the PSU record book at the distance.

Abade joined Ibrahim in the all-time top 10, as his 12th-place finish in 18:51.04 was good enough for the eighth-best mark all-time. Moore would have also joined the top 10 if not for the other two, even as he was running his first race as a collegiate athlete. Moore placed 16th overall in 19:00.59, a time that would have ranked ninth all-time coming into today, but instead puts him just outside of the top 10 after the times from Ibrahim and Abade.

Three of Moore's fellow freshmen rounded out the Vikings' team score while finishing within four spots of each other. Landen Sandoval led the trio, placing 40th overall in 19:43.71. Kyle Chen followed at 42nd overall in 19:46.12, just ahead of Luke Gillingham at 43rd overall in 19:48.66.

Four more Vikings finished within seven spots of each other about 30 seconds later. Freshman Aidan Brown led that group - the fifth freshman in the Vikings' top seven Saturday - while placing 56th overall in 20:15.83. Tom Thake followed two spots later in 20:18.04, shaving more than two minutes off his previous best 6k, which came nearly two years ago at the CWU Invitational while running for Seattle Pacific. Ian Parks finished on Thake's hip, placing 59th overall in 20:18.12. Freshman Luis Muradas then followed at 62nd overall in 20:22.35.

Mika Sarver Huber (91st, 21:14.15), Lyness Ota (106th, 21:38.83) and Victor Ramirez (130th, 23:06.06) rounded out the Viking contingent for the PSU men.

The Viking women ran well together throughout their 4k Saturday. Emma Stolte and Ania Kapustka finished back-to-back to lead the women at 18th and 19th overall, respectively. Stolte's finish in 15:04.06 was just off her 4k personal best of 15:01.9 from last year's Linfield Harrier Classic, though that race was on a completely different course at Joe Dancer Park. Kapustka finished her 4k in 15:07.47 in what was her first official cross country race in a Viking singlet.

Four Viking runners then finished within seven spots of each other to close out the top six for the Viking women. Freshman Irina López led that foursome, finishing 25th overall in 15:24.68. Taylor Nichols followed two spots back of her at 27th overall in 15:27.53. Freshman Viola Alessandrini and sophomore Addison Capozzi then finished back-to-back at 30th and 31st, respectively, while crossing in 15:29.61 and 15:32.42.

Campbell Faust finished as the women's seventh runner Saturday, placing 48th overall in 16:03.01. Faust's time marked nearly a minute improvement over her time from last season's Linfield Harrier Classic, albeit on a different course.

Freshmen Talise Wapsheli and Emily Schmitke followed at 53rd and 57th overall, respectively, while finishing in times of 16:09.51 and 16:22.15.

Wendy Hare and Aida Coté - middle distance runners most frequently during the track season - rounded out the Viking women's contingent at the meet, finishing in 79th and 91st overall in times of 17:31.43 and 18:29.72, respectively.

The Vikings will stay at the 4k and 6k distances for their next meet, which will see them race at the Gator Cross Invitational at Fort Steilacoom Park near Tacoma, Wash.

Linfield Harrier Classic
The Nines Golf Course
McMinnville, Ore.
Aug. 31, 2024

Women's Top Ten Finishers (4k):
1. Paige Wiley, Oregon State, 13:53.90; 2. Teresa Perez, Portland, 13:54.55; 3. Abigail Pradere, Unattached, 13:57.01; 4. Stina Pettersson, Portland, 13:57.16; 5. Riley Buese, Lewis & Clark, 13:57.94; 6. Brionna Holso, Portland, 14:01.33; 7. Ellie Hull, Oregon State, 14:18.77; 8. Ellie Rising, George Fox, 14:20.09; 9. Malia Heien, Lewis & Clark, 14:22.98; 10. Tiahna Woodger, Portland, 14:33.42.

Women's Team Scores:
1. Portland, 31 points; 2. Oregon State, 42 points; 3. George Fox, 90 points; 4. Lewis & Clark, 107 points; 5. Portland State, 112 points; 6. Willamette, 151 points; 7. Pacific (Ore.), 200 points; 8. Corban, 216 points; 9. Bushnell, 253 points; 10. Southwestern Oregon CC, 296 points; 11. Everett CC, 317 points.

Portland State Runners (out of 102):
18. Emma Stolte, 15:04.06; 19. Ania Kapustka, 15:07.47; 25. Irina López, 15:24.68; 27. Taylor Nichols, 15:27.63; 30. Viola Alessandrini, 15:29.61; 31. Addison Capozzi, 15:32.42; 48. Campbell Faust, 16:03.01; 53. Talise Wapsheli, 16:09.51; 57. Emily Schmitke, 16:22.15; 79. Wendy Hare, 17:31.43; 91. Aida Coté, 18:29.72.

Men's Top Ten Finishers (6k):
1. Pedro Vazquez, Portland, 18:06.62; 2. Anthony Giesch, Portland, 18:08.03; 3. Isaac McGill, Portland, 18:08.86; 4. Evan Markelz, Lewis & Clark, 18:09.81; 5. Abdi Ibrahim, Portland State, 18:23.11; 6. Jacob Hupke, Portland, 18:24.13; 7. Jack Gladfelter, Corban, 18:28.13; 8. Nathan Stein, Portland, 18:33.87; 9. Austin Gappa, George Fox, 18:36.54; 10. Zander Moha, Corban, 18:37.15.

Men's Team Scores:
1. Portland, 20 points; 2. Corban, 75 points; 3. Lewis & Clark, 80 points; 4. Portland State, 94 points; 5. George Fox, 97 points; 6. Willamette, 198 points; 7. Pacific (Ore.), 202 points; 8. Lane CC, 235 points; 9. Southwestern Oregon CC, 254 points; 10. Everett CC, 293 points; 11. Bushnell, 323 points.

Portland State Runners (out of 141):
5. Abdi Ibrahim, 18:23.11; 12. Abdinajib Abade, 18:51.04; 16. Nick Moore, 19:00.59; 40. Landen Sandoval, 19:43.71; 42. Kyle Chen, 19:46.12; 43. Luke Gillingham, 19:48.66; 56. Aidan Brown, 20:15.83; 58. Tom Thake, 20:18.04; 59. Ian Parks, 20:18.12; 62. Luis Muradas, 20:22.35; 91. Mika Sarver Huber, 21:14.15; 106. Lyness Ota, 21:38.83; 130. Victor Ramirez, 23:06.06.