MCMINNVILLE, Ore. - The Multnomah men's and women's cross country teams kicked off their seasons today at the Linfield Harrier Classic at Joe Dancer Park. With a smaller squad present for the event, the Lions still made the most of the opportunity to gauge their early-season form as they prepare for the upcoming Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) season.

On the women's side, the trio of returners put in strong performances in the 4K race. Gabby Metzger led the charge for the Lions, finishing 28th out of 108 competitors with a time of 15:28.51. Following her was DeAsia Wasachlo, who crossed the line at 16:57.39. Rounding out the Multnomah squad was Kassidy Chamberlin, clocking in at 18:17.69.

The men's team faced some challenges, with only two out of their five-man roster available to compete in the 6K race. Fred Watkins placed 46th out of 141 competitors, running a solid time of 19:55.17. Justin Almendarez finished with a time of 23:45.38, showing grit in his performance.

Head Coach Ben Barber expressed excitement after the event, eager to see how the athletes develop as the season progresses. "This was a great starting point to see where everyone is at. We're building toward the CCC Preview, and it's good to get this first race under our belt," Barber said.

The Lions will now turn their focus to hosting the CCC Preview meet at Rose City Golf Course in Portland, Ore., on September 20th.