The Linfield Wildcats showed their skills at this Saturday’s George Fox Invitational in Brooks, Ore.

Both the women’s and men’s teams did very well, but the women’s team’s talent truly showed through at this weekend’s meet. Overall, the Wildcat women got first out of nine competing teams for the 6k race. They boasted an overall score of 76 and an average time of 23 minutes and 49 seconds. Whitworth came close in second with an average time of 23 minutes and 40 seconds.

“The team overall did very well. We are working hard to get where we need to be. The girls team battled hard for first place and did a good job of working together throughout the race,” Junior Courtney Beard said.

Junior Emma Knudson led the team, coming in sixth out of 87 runners with a time of 23 minutes, 2.4 seconds. Beard came in a close seventh place with a time of 23:12.9 seconds, a personal best. Junior Kaelia Neal, who was coming off an injury, was the next Wildcat to place, coming in 11^th place with a time of 23:21.5.

Katie Higinbotham came in 27^th with a time of 24:35.5 and Kerri Paasche came in 32^nd place with a time of 24:50. Ana Ramirez came in 39^th with a time of 25:11.2 and Vera Heidmann, the last Wildcat to place in the women’s 6k, came in 49^th with a time of 25:42.1.

Maiti Hunter came in 65^th with a time of 26:58.3 and Birch Clark came in 79^th with a time of 29:00.1.

“I ran more aggressively, which is something I’ve been working on this season, and I was able to run more even splits, which I think helped me PR. The women’s team was definitely more aggressive, which helped us win the meet. I think our confidence is rising and this win was definitely another confidence booster, which will help come Conference. We still have to close up some gaps. But with tapering communing up and the hype of a championship race, I think we’ll be able to do it,” said Knudson.

The men’s team still did well, placing sixth out of 13 competing teams, in the 8k race. They received an overall score of 148, with an average time of 27 minutes, 4 seconds.

Adrian Clifford led the men’s team, placing 15^th out of 116 runners, with a time of 26:27.9. Chris Roth came in a close 17^th, with a time of 26:35.9.

Calvin Ong came in 36^th with a time of 27:17.6 second, Liam Pickhardt came in 43^rd with a time of 27:23.6 and Jeff Lee came in 47^th, with a time of 27:33.6.

Art O’Kelly came in 52^nd with a time of 27:44.3. Efrain Martinez-Santos, the last Wildcat to place in the men’s 8k, came in 58^th, with a time of 28:9.7 and Grant Blodgette came in 78^th with a time of 28:52.9.

The Wildcats next meet is Saturday, Oct. 29, at 9 a.m. at the NWC Champions in Brooks, Ore.