ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – For years, the Yellowjacket men's cross country team has utilized Saukie Golf Course, and the interregional meet hosted by Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill. as a final tune up heading into the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Championships.
 
To say the field was a loaded one Saturday would be an understatement. The Yellowjackets placed 36th Saturday, but of the teams in front of them, 31 were ranked regionally and/or nationally. In total, nine of the top 30 Division III teams in the nation were in the event, making for stiff competition on a soft, muddy course.
 
The place of finish was misleading, as the Yellowjackets turned in a strong team showing, and in the process saw numerous runners reach season or career bests.
 
Leading the charge was Michael Butterfield (Bovey, Minn./Greenway). The junior ran the eight-kilometer race in a time of 26:12.7. The mark established a new season-best for Butterfield, who owns the top time in the UMAC for the season.
 
Coming in behind Butterfield was Aidan Doherty (Wild Rose, Wis./Wild Rose). He was the second Yellowjacket to cross the finish line, coming in with a time of 27:06.3. The third Yellowjacket to finish Saturday was Zach Reese (Zimmerman, Minn./Spectrum). Reese crossed the line with a time of 27:09.3, which set a new personal record. David Collins (Ironwood, Mich./Luther L. Wright) hit a new season best, finishing the race with a time of 27:17.1.
 
The next three Yellowjackets to finish all set new personal records.
 
Kieran Johnson (South Range, Wis./Northwestern) finished with a time of 28:19.2, Ben Plackner (Bovey, Minn./Greenway) came in with a time of 28:33.0, and Dylan Uitto (Ashland, Wis./Ashland) had a time of 29:23.4.
 
Tyler Smith (Ironwood, Mich./Ironwood) was just shy of his personal record, finishing with a time of 29:59.7. Rounding things out for the Yellowjackets were Kevin Hufziger (Macedon, N.Y./Penfield) (33:26.1) and Hendrick Hicks (Duluth, Minn./Proctor) (34:51.5).
 
North Central College of Naperville, Ill. won the men's team title Saturday, compiling a meet low 60 points. The individual winner on the day was Christian Patzka of UW-Whitewater, who finished the course with a time of 24:19.3.
 
Next up for the Yellowjackets is the UMAC Championships Saturday, Oct. 28. The meet will be held at Winthrop Golf Course in Winthrop, Minn.