TEMPE, Ariz. - Senior Manuel Ruiz (North Hills/Monroe HS) finished 24th in a time of 26:29.4 and the Cal State Northiridge men's cross country team placed eighth with a team score of 166 at the Arizona State Invitational at Kiwanis Park on Saturday.
In being the highest finishing Northridge runner for the fourth straigh meet this season, Ruiz (26:29.4) finished three spots ahead of teammate Diego Fernandez (Oxnard/Oxnard JC) who was 27th in a time of 26:41.0. The meet marked the first time this season that the Matadors had two runners finish in the top 30. Juan Olea finished 64th in a time of 28:18.7, Demsey Mazariegos was 74th in a time of 28:54.2 and Mike Stotland finished 77th in a time of 29:01.9.
Originally, the men's squad scored 42 points to finish second to Arizona (36 points) while Pepperdine (110), Dine College (127) and Pima Community College (148) rounding out the Top 5 teams in the 11-team competition. Following a review of the results, an Arizona runner was changed to Unattached from the UA squad, changing the team point totals to ASU winning with 37 points and followed in the Top 5 by UA (88), Pepperdine (105), Dine (123) and Pima (144).
The Matadors will return to action on Friday, Oct. 19 as Cal State Northridge competes at the Cal State Fullerton Invitational. The Matadors will then compete in the Big West Cross Country Championships on Oct. 27 at Cal Poly.
