SPOKANE, Wash. – Bradley Kiltow and Jennifer Torres Bermudez led their respective squads and the Linfield Wildcats weathered chilly temperatures to turn in respectable efforts Saturday at the Northwest Conference Cross Country Championships.
 
Whitworth University served as host for the nine-team event, held for the first time at Plantes Ferry Park and Sports Complex.
 
George Fox University defended both of its championships in dominating fashion. The Bruin men had six of the top 12 finishers for a winning score of 24 points.  The GFU women were nearly as strong, with six of the top 13 finishers and a winning tally of 29 points.
 
MEN
Kiltow returned to action after an extended layoff to place 20th over the eight-kilometer course.
 
Alex Oathout placed 24th in 26:03.1 and Emil Miller, competing in his first conference-championship event, was 31st in 26:35.0.
 
Close behind were Calvin Cahill, 32nd in 26:37.3, and Devin Harrison, 35^th in 26:43.1. Also competing for Linfield were Kai Szostak, 63rd in 28:13.5, and Conner Dooley, 70th in 29:00.0.
 
The final men's team scores were as follows: George Fox 24, Lewis & Clark 76, Whitworth 92, Pacific Lutheran 102, Linfield 132, Whitman 135, Puget Sound 171, Willamette 207, Pacific (Ore.) 258.
 
 
WOMEN
As she has done all season, Jennifer Torres Bermudez led the Linfield delegation, placing 16th. Her time of 23:26.9 over the six-kilometer circuit trailed Riley Buese of Lewis & Clark, the women's winner, by just under two minutes.
 
Wildcats freshman Jayden Taylor performed well, turning in a 42nd-place effort in 25.12.2. Saniyah Ayala was 46th in 25:23.9, and Kaylee Delzotti finished 51^st in 25:35.1`.
 
Also competing for Linfield on Saturday were Leah Stednick, 68^th in 27:27.1, and Liberty McElfatrick, 73^rd in 29:54.7.
 
The final women's scores were as follows: George Fox 29, Lewis & Clark 92, Pacific (Ore.) 98, Willamette 100, Whitworth 106, Whitman 126, Linfield 203, Pacific Lutheran 215, Puget Sound 233.
 
AHEAD
The teams have two weeks off before heading to Southern California for the NCAA Division III West Region Championships on Saturday, Nov. 11.