The top-ranked Loyola cross country team left no doubt at Saturday's Bull Run Invitational at Hereford, putting five runners in the top 25 and cruising to victory over a tough field in the Elite division.
Matt Jablonski led the Dons with his fourth-place finish. Matt Erford (10th), Brendan Tizard (18th), Pat Finley (21st) and John Lobo (23rd) were the other Loyola runners who helped the Dons finish with 72 points, beating Virginia's Colonial Forge (118). No. 3 River Hill (119) and No. 2 Calvert Hall (130) took third and fourth, respectively.
The Dons were looking forward to going against archrival Calvert Hall, as the two teams have been among the best in the metro area for the past few seasons.
"We've been training hard since August, and they came in in great shape," Loyola coach Jose Albornoz said of his team. "We actually didn't care if we finished third or fourth - as long as we beat Calvert Hall."
Nick Rowe (third) was the top Cardinals finisher, but Calvert Hall put only one other runner in the top 20. David Wilson of Washington County's Smithsburg won the race in 16 minutes, 29 seconds.
On the girls' side, No. 2 Severna Park (78) had three runners in the top 11 to edge Frederick County's Thomas Johnson (81) for the Elite title. No. 1 River Hill finished third (110), and No. 3 Century took fourth (125).
Chris Patrick (eighth), Ashley Hayes (10th) and Jodie Clouser (11th) paced Severna Park, which had to outlast a Thomas Johnson team that had two runners in the top five.
Century's Maura Linde won the race in 19:20, edging Elizabeth Tauber of John Carroll (19:27) with a sprint in the final 200 yards. Hamstring problems forced Linde out at the midway point of last year's race.
"I definitely wanted it so bad last year," Linde said. "[This time] I was like, I've got to get it."
The No. 10 Broadneck boys won the Large division with 140 points, beating Leonardtown of St. Mary's County by five. Will Neal from Chesapeake-AA captured the race in 16:55. The No. 8 Dulaney girls finished second in the Large division, losing to Leonardtown by one point.
Results
ELITE
BOYS
Team scores (top 5): 1. Loyola, 72; 2. Colonial Forge, 118;
3. River Hill, 119; 4. Calvert Hall, 130; 5. Richard Montgomery, 133.
Individuals (top 10): 1. Wilson (SMI), 16:29; 2. Arbuckle (ELK), 16:40; 3. Rowe (CH), 16:50; 4. Jablonski (LOY), 16:54;
