SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University men's cross country team was shorthanded in its season opener Friday night but managed a second-place finish at the 16th Annual Galen Piper Cross Country Challenge – completing a 6K circuit on a warm, humid and muggy evening at the campus recreation complex.
 
Shippensburg's squad has been battling illness throughout the week and toed the line Friday night with just six of its 13 active runners. Ben Hummel paced the Raiders with an eighth-place finish in 19:27.1. It was not only his first time serving as SU's No. 1 runner in a cross country race, but it was also his first time serving as a scoring performer for the Raiders.
 
All three of Shippensburg's first-year newcomers competed Friday night, with Julian Clark leading the group and serving as the team's No. 2 scoring runner. Clark finished 10th in 19:29.5, while Seth Reichenbach was a half-second behind him in 12th place.
 
Jaycen Conrad returned to cross country action after redshirting last season and delivered a 16th-place finish in 19:44.3. Ryan Gourley (22nd place, 19:59.9) and Davey Johnson (20:07.3) rounded out the Raider contingent on the night.
 
NCAA Division I school George Washington made the trek north from the District of Columbia and posted a decisive victory with a team score of 16 points – the second-best ever by a men's squad in the 16-year history of the meet (the SU Alumni won with 15 points in 2002). Five Revolutionaries were among the Top 6 overall finishers, with GW going 1-2-3-4 en route to the win.
 
Shippensburg returns to action in eight days when it heads over to Newville for Dickinson's annual Long/Short Invitational.
 
Shippensburg (2nd, 67 points)
8. Ben Hummel 19:27.1
10. Julian Clark 19:29.5
12. Seth Reichenbach 19:30.1
16. Jaycen Conrad 19:44.3
22. Ryan Gourley 19:59.9
25. Davey Johnson 20:07.3

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Shippensburg Track and Field & Cross Country (@shipxctf)