The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) men’s and women’s teams both finished fourth at last weekend’ Towson Invite. Merrecia James was the top finisher for the Lady Hawks, taking second place with a time of 19:01 on the 5,000 meter course (3.1 miles) finishing just behind the host Towson’s Katie Ogden who won with a time of 18:47.

Tamica Thomas was the next fastest Hawk with a time of 20:15, coming across in 21st place. Betty Chumbe was 30th, Celia Whyte was 36th and Janeth Chelangat was 44th in the meet with 114 finishers.

The host Towson University Tigers won the meet with the University of Delaware taking second place.

On the men’s side Peter Sang was the highest finisher in seventh place running the five mile course in 27:25.02 with teammate Solomon Kirongo finishing ninth with a time of 27:33. Last week’s race winner, freshmen Amon Kiprotich was 15th with a time of 27:50. Kiprotich and Sang both led the race the majority of the way but were led incorrectly at a cross-road that would cost them about 200 meters. They had to turn around and by that time the eventual race winners caught up and secured the win. Salisbury University’s Eric Graves won the race with a time of 26:45 while the University of Delaware won the men’s race taking second through fifth places.

Navy took home second place, trailing Delaware by 29 points.

Other UMES men’s finishers included Nathaniel Taylor in 37th, Clayton James in 45th and Samuel Mwangi in 50th. There were 88 runners in the men’s race.

Both Hawk squads return to action at home on the 22nd of September when they host the Cappy Anderson Invitational.