SALEM, Ore. – Alex Oathout took 31st place in the men's eight-kilometer race and Jennifer Torres Bermudez placed 35th over the six-kilometer women's distance to highlight the list of results for the Wildcats at the George Oja Linfield Invitational held Saturday at Oak Knoll Golf Course.
 
Longtime kinesiology professor and cross country and track coach George Oja was on hand to christen the new annual meet named in his honor.
 
Linfield's men placed 11th among 24 competing teams. The Wildcat women were 13th in a field of 18 collegiate squads. Seattle University was the women's team champion while the University of Portland claimed the men's team title with all five Pilot runners placing among the top 10 finishers.
 
MEN
With his 31st place result, Oathout continued his strong season, leading the Wildcats with a 25:06 clocking. Freshman Emil Miller was next in 63rd place, finishing in 25:48. Calvin Cahill ran 26:08 to place 84th and Devin Harrison was 97th in 26:26.
 
Other Linfield competitors included Kai Szostak, 167th in 27:53, Conner Dooley, 176th in 28:07 and Brendan Perez, 222nd in 29:44.
 
WOMEN
Torres Bermudez finished in 22:56, nipping Sophi Moser-Smith of San Diego Mesa and Madelyn Hubbs of Pacific by one hundredth of a second.
 
Wildcats freshman Jayden Taylor earned 97^th place in 24:38, Saniyah Ayala was 108^th in 24:49, Kaylee Delzotti placed 118th in 25:07 and Leah Stednick crossed the finish line in 26:24, good for 144th place. Liberty McElfatrick timed 27:22 to place 161st.
 
AHEAD
The Wildcats prepare for the Northwest Conference Championships in two week's time. Linfield will join the eight other NWC schools for the annual championship meet, set for Saturday, Oct. 28, at Plante's Ferry Park in Spokane, Wash.