INDEPENDENCE, Ore. – Outstanding efforts by the top three runners for Oregon Tech helped the Hustlin' Owls place 14th overall in a 37-team field, as the squad competed at the George Oja Invitational, hosted by Linfield, at Oak Knoll Golf Course.
 
The trio of Kai Miles, Elijah Zavala and Bryce Worrell each ended the 8,000-meter loop inside the Top-70 in the 401-runner event, helping OIT to 410 place points. Eastern Washington (84) outdistanced Portland (97) for the team title, with Cascade Conference foes Eastern Oregon (151) and Trinity Western (207) placing fourth and fifth.
 
"The guys raced really well," said head coach Mike Anderson. "We need to get a few runners healthy, but had a really good Top-3. It was a big breakout race for Kai, Eli and Bryce."
 
Miles paced the group – clocking a sub 25-minute time of 24:52 – placing 39th. Zavala and Worrell were tightly packed – Zavala (25:09) in 62nd and Worrell (25:13) in 66th. Daxton Wilson (26:08) and Carson Page (26:27) closed out the scoring five for the Owls.
 
OIT will take a small contingent to next week's Bushnell Invitational – the final tune-up for the Cascade Conference Championships.