FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Pau Valderrama captured the individual title in the McDonnell Memorial 8K, while the Griffon women finished third in the Prairie Fire Pepper 5K to highlight MoWest Cross Country's day Saturday at the 38th Annual Chile Pepper Festival at Agri Park.
Men's McDonnell Memorial 8K
Valderrama crossed the finish line in 24:02.8 to win the McDonnell Memorial 8K, edging UTEP's Nathan Kapel by one-tenth of a second.
The victory marked Valderrama's second individual race win at MoWest after he won the 2025 Missouri Southern Stampede. Valderrama's performance helped lead the Griffon men to a sixth-place team finish with 216 points.
Hemistone Cheruiyot gave MoWest a second top-25 finisher, placing 23rd in 24:53.7. Bailey Taig finished 55th in 25:39.6, Landon Fuller was 69th in 25:51.9 and Jack Collins rounded out the five scorers in 77th at 25:58.7.
Men's Final Results
Pau Valderrama – 1st, 24:02.8
Hemistone Cheruiyot – 23rd, 24:53.7
Bailey Taig – 55th, 25:39.6
Landon Fuller – 69th, 25:51.9
Jack Collins – 77th, 25:58.7
Westin Hess – 104th, 26:21.1
Sam Shipp – 113th, 26:27.2
Ryan Ringgenberg – 141st, 26:50.9
Angelo Baez-Mahr – 146th, 26:54.3
Will Gessman – 162nd, 27:10.5
Henry Trumpp – 169th, 27:19.8
Daren Linscott – 177th, 27:28.6
Tavon Stroup – 200th, 28:13.8
Jacob Driskill – 215th, 28:47.9
Walter Randle – 218th, 28:51.1
Benjamin Spears – 230th, 29:16.5
Levi Huber – 256th, 30:57.0
Levi Coburn – 259th, 31:22.0
Ruben Caceres – DNF
Women's Prairie Fire Pepper 5K
The Griffon women finished third out of 27 scoring teams in the Prairie Fire Pepper 5K with 154 points.
Magdalena Jakubowska led MoWest with a 12th-place finish in 18:46.7, while Laila Munoz followed in 23rd at 19:08.7. Brianna DeBord crossed in 40th at 19:33.2, Meagan Smith finished 45th in 19:47.0 and Abi Teeter completed the Griffons' five scorers in 50th at 19:50.2.
Women's Final Results
Magdalena Jakubowska – 12th, 18:46.7
Laila Munoz – 23rd, 19:08.7
Brianna DeBord – 40th, 19:33.2
Meagan Smith – 45th, 19:47.0
Abi Teeter – 50th, 19:50.2
Jenna O'Neal – 62nd, 20:06.7
Bethani Grove – 69th, 20:16.2
Bailey Cutler – 83rd, 20:34.0
What's Next
Griffon Cross Country heads to Lawrence, Kansas, for the NCAA Pre-Nationals on Sunday, Oct. 11 at Rim Rock Farm.
