COCKEYSVILLE, Md. – Peter Merkel (Ellicott City, Md./Homeschool) finished third to lead McDaniel at the annual Baltimore Metro Meet to open the 2014 men's cross country season on Friday.
As a team, the Green Terror finished second among the three teams that ran complete, scoring 40 points. Johns Hopkins tallied 23 to win the meet.
Merkel turned in a time of 16:46.23 to post the fourth-fastest time by a McDaniel runner on the 5,000-meter Oregon Ridge course.
Jim Heilman (Lutherville, Md./Baltimore Lutheran) and Calvin Ball (Westminster, Md./Westminster) also turned in top-11 all-time times on the course. Heilman placed fourth with a time of 16:48.24 while Ball was sixth with a time of 16:58.13.
The Green Terror trio was the only three runners to break up a series of seven Blue Jay runners across the line in all divisions.
John Alexander (Lutherville, Md./Calvert Hall) debuted with a 13th-place finish, turning in a time of 18:04.20.
Alex Panagakos (Hampstead, Md./North Carroll) and Kyle Crouse (Keymar, Md./Francis Scott Key) finished 21st (19:35.62) and 22nd (19:39.65), respectively.
Noah Conner (Hurlock, Md./North Dorchester) and Andrew Valliere (Laurel, Md./Atholton) rounded out the McDaniel competitors, finishing 24th (20:20.93) and 25th (20:58.73), respectively.
The Green Terror returns to action at its own Green Terror Challenge on Saturday, Sept. 6. The first of four races on the day begins at 9:45 a.m.
Team Scores: 1. Johns Hopkins 23, 2. McDaniel 40, 3. Stevenson 72.
McDaniel Results (5,000 meters, 29 competitors): 3. Peter Merkel 16:46.23, 4. Jim Heilman 16:48.24, 6. Calvin Ball 16:58.13, 13. John Alexander 18:04.20, 21. Alex Panagakos 19:35.62, 22. Kyle Crouse 19:39.65, 24. Noah Conner 20:20.93, 25. Andrew Valliere 20:58.73.
-30-
