BELLINGHAM, Wash. (Oct. 12) -- In perhaps a preview of the conference championship, Nathanael Castle of Seattle Pacific University was runner-up to Western Washington's Paul Kezes at the Western Washington Invitational cross country meet Saturday at Lake Padden Park.

Castle (Sr., Gooding, Id.), in his first 10-kilometer race of the season, was timed in 31 minutes, 57 seconds--28 seconds behind Kezes, who also won the Sundodger Invitational last month at Lincoln Park, site of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference championships Oct. 26. It was Castle's best placement since taking second at the Emerald City Invitational. He was third at the 2001 WWU meet.

Kezes, a Bellingham native, missed the course record by only 13 seconds, winning in 31:29. The Vikings also took the team title with 40 points.

Central Washington (52) was next, followed by SPU (59) and Club Northwest (75). Tim LeCount (Fr., Battle Ground, Wa.) of SPU was 14th in 33:19.

Taking the women's individual title was Cari Rampersad-Kuzyk, representing Hershey Harriers Canada, with a time of 22:13 over the 6k course. Rampersad-Kuzyk won the NAIA national cross country title three times while attending Simon Fraser in the mid-1990s.

Placing second and the top collegiate finisher was the Vikings' Ashlee Vincent, who was just nine seconds back at 22:21.

Western won the women's division 44 points, with Central second (54), one point ahead of the Hershey Harriers (55). Seattle Pacific was fourth (66). The Falcons' top scorer Ruth Hawkinson (Sr., Roy, Wa./Yelm), 16th in 23:40, immediately ahead of Josie Lavin (So., Bremerton, Wa.), who was timed in 23:49.

Western Washington Invitational

Men's team scores: 1-Western Washington 40, 2-Central Washington 52, 3-Seattle Pacific 59, 4-Club Northwest 75.
Winner: Paul Kezes, Western Washington, 31:29
SPU finishers: 2-Castle, 31:57; 14-LeCount, 33:19; 21-Van Hess, 34:42; 27-Nash, 35:13; 32-Mach, 35:43; 36-Libadisos, 36:05; 42-Marston, 37:30; 45-Bjella, 38:11..

Women's team scores: 1-Western Washington 44, 2-Central Washington 54, 3-Hershey Harriers-Canada 55, 4-Seattle Pacific 66.
Winner: Cari Rampersad-Kuzyk, Hershey Harriers-Canada, 22:13
SPU finishers: 16-Hawkinson, 23:40; 17-Lavin, 23:49; 21-Bork, 24:01; 22-Groth, 24:02; 23-Seana, 24:05; 24-Kraybill, 24:13; 30-Harbaugh, 24:35; 33-Stevens, 24:41; 34-Hoglund, 24:42; 35-Owens, 24:47; 40-Knox, 25:26