SHELBYVILLE, Ind. - The Manchester men's and women's cross country teams opened the 2023 season at the Grizzly Invitational hosted by Franklin College on Saturday, September 2nd.
 
The men's team picked up a second place team finish with multiple top twenty individual placements. Fifth-year Enrique Salazar (Plymouth, Ind., Plymouth) led the Spartans with a 2nd place finish in a time of 15:11.3. Following just behind was Connor Havens (LaPorte, Ind., LaPorte), finishing 3rd with a time of 15:32.1. Gavin Byerly (Huntington, Ind., Huntington North) placed 10th with a time of 16:13.1 and Brenden Oden (New Carlisle, Ind., New Prairie) rounded out the top 20 with a time of 16:41.1.

The women's team finished in fourth place on the day with 118 points. Sophomore Rylee Stephany (LaPorte, Ind., LaPorte) led the Spartans, crossing the finish line in 11th place with a time of  21:15.4. Fellow sophomore Sydney Sluys (Columbus, Ind., Columbus North) came in next for the Black and Gold, finishing with a time of 21:48.4 for 21st place. Madi Hilliker (Muskegon, Mich., Reeths-Puffer) came in at 26th with a time of 22:11.9.
 
Both the men's and women's teams will have the upcoming weekend off before return to action on September 16th at the Gil Dodds Invitational in Wheaton, Illinois.