COUNCIL BLUFFS - Freshman Chase Oates (Columbia Heights, Minn.) paced the Southwestern men's cross country team Friday in his first-ever cross country race.

With only two scoring teams on the men's side, Southwestern finished second to powerhouse Iowa Central with 43 points to the Tritons' 18. Oates finished fourth overall in the 5K race on Iowa Western's campus, running 18:15.01.

"Chase put in a great summer of work and has done a tremendous job here in the preseason. This result came as no surprise to me. I think Chase has the potential to do big things for us this fall, especially as he continues to get used to racing on a cross country course," said Scott Vicker, director of cross country/track & field at Southwestern Community College. "The guys Chase was competing with at the front of the pack are all outstanding runners. He should take a lot of confidence from this result."

Fellow freshman Michael Mayer (Clarinda) crossed the line next for the Spartans with a time of 20:07.45 in 11th place. Alfonso Barraza took 17th, Conrad Schroeder 22nd, and Leland Perkins 23rd.

Southwestern returns to action 5:30 p.m. Friday at the Bill Buxton Invitational, hosted by Simpson College at Pickard Park in Indianola.