FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

Results

CHICAGO, Ill. (Oct. 29, 2011)-- For just the sixth time in school history, the North Central College men's cross country team achieved a perfect score at the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Championships, sweeping the top five spots on Saturday at Montrose Harbor for the dominating victory.

The Cardinals have now won 38 consecutive CCIW titles in cross country and 45 overall while tallying a perfort score for the first time since 2009. North Central additionally achieved perfect scores in 2004, 1999, 1997 and 1987.

Leading the pack was Matt Perez, completing the 8,000-meter course in 25 minutes, 15.87 seconds to secure the individual title, becoming the 31st Cardinal to do so and the third in as many years.

Top-ranked North Central blew away the field with 15 points in the team tally, claiming the top five spots and seven of the top 11 finishers. Fifth-ranked Wheaton College was runner-up with 53 points while 19th-ranked Augustana College was third with 76 points. Illinois Wesleyan University was fourth (120 points) followed by Elmhurst College (138 points), Carthage College (158 points), Millikin University (214 points) and North Park University (250 points).

Neal Klein was the second Cardinal to cross the tape, clocking a time of 25:23.95 while Dan Kerley, Kevin Sparks and John Crain finished third through fifth with less than four-tenths of a second separating the three. Kerley crossed in 25:30.42 while Sparks finished in 25:30.53 and Crain in 25:30.80.

Placing ninth was Matthew Brinkmeier, stopping the clock in 25:41.87 while Yonatan Mascote (26:04.47) and Mitch Gilbert (26:04.53) finished back-to-back in 11th and 12th places, respectively.

Perez, Klein, Kerley, Sparks, Crain, Brinkmeier and Mascote all earned All-CCIW honors for their performance while Al Carius and his staff captured CCIW Coaching Staff of the Year accolades.

North Central is idle next week before heading to Rock Island, Ill. on Saturday, Nov. 12 for the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional at the Saukie Golf Course.