PORTLAND, Ore. — Like a summer class that runs a little shorter than one during a regular term, the Portland State cross country team will run under distance for the second straight meet to open its 2024 fall season. The Viking women will run a 4k Saturday at the Gator Cross in Lakewood, Wash., while the men will run a 6k.
 
They're the same race distances as the Vikings' first meet of the season, when they raced at the Linfield Harrier Classic. Saturday's races, which will take place at Fort Steilacoom Park in Lakewood, offer the Vikings a direct comparison from two weeks ago.
 
Abdi Ibrahim led the Viking men at the Linfield Harrier Classic, recording a career-best finish at fifth overall in 18:23.11. Ibrahim's time moved him up to third all-time in the cross country 6k at Portland State. He trails his former teammates Jordan MacIntosh (17:58.70) and Keynan Abdi (18:13.80) but could theoretically pass one or both with his second 6k of the season coming up Saturday.
 
Abdinajib Abade also moved into the all-time top 10 two weeks ago with his finish in 18:51.04.
 
After Ibrahim and Abade, it was a youth movement for the Vikings. The next five finishers for the Viking men were all freshmen, an encouraging sign for a Viking program that barely filled out a men's roster a season ago.
 
Nick Moore led the group of five freshmen with a 16th-place overall finish in 19:00.59. Landen Sandoval, Kyle Chen and Luke Gillingham then placed within four spots of each other at 40th, 42nd and 43d overall, respectively. Aidan Brown followed up at 56th overall.
 
The Viking women had two freshmen place in their own top five between Irina López – third in the Vikings' lineup and 25th overall – and Viola Alessandrini – fifth in the Vikings' lineup and 30th overall.
 
Veterans Emma Stolte and Ania Kapustka led the Viking women at the Linfield Harrier Classic, placing 18th and 19th overall in times of 15:04.06 and 15:07.47, respectively. Taylor Nichols followed López at 27th overall as the Vikings' fourth finisher.
 
The Vikings will have a youthful roster in both races again Saturday. Five freshmen are entered in the women's 4k between Alessandrini, Aida Coté, López, Emily Schmitke and Talise Wapsheli. The Viking men, meanwhile, have eight freshmen entered in Saturday's 6k between Brown, Chen, Gillingham, Moore, Luis Muradas, Mika Sarver Huber, Sandoval and Victor Ramirez.
 
Those young runners should benefit from the back-to-back under-distance races to start the season. The Viking men are building up from racing 5k's as high school runners to 8k's and 10k's by the end of the season. The Viking women are also trying to build up to the 6k they'll race at the NCAA West Regional in November.
 
It's why shorter summer courses can be so useful. They put students on the path to success once courses – racing courses, in this instance – get longer in the fall.
 
MEET INFO
Saturday, Sept. 14 – Gator Cross – Lakewood, Wash. (Fort Steilacoom Park)
 
MEET SCHEDULE
Time – Race
11 a.m. – Women's 4k
11:45 a.m. – Men's 6k
 
FOLLOW ALONG
Live Results
 
PSU ENTRIES
Women: Viola Alessandrini, Aida Coté, Addison Capozzi, Campbell Faust, Wendy Hare, Ania Kapustka, Irina López, Taylor Nichols, Emily Schmitke, Emma Stolte, Talise Wapsheli
Men: Abdinajib Abade, Aidan Brown, Kyle Chen, Luke Gillingham, Abdi Ibrahim, Nick Moore, Luis Muradas, Lyness Ota, Ian Parks, Landen Sandoval, Mika Sarver Huber, Tom Thake, Victor Ramirez