Duerksen, Fife win Indiana Open

Junior Kelsey Duerksen of the IU cross country team started her 2013 season with a victory Saturday at the Indiana Open in the women’s 5-kilometer race.

IU senior Nolan Fife won the men’s 8-kilometer race.

Duerksen finished the 5-kilometer race in 18 minutes and 22 seconds. Senior Samantha Ginther, who ran her first race since coming back from her injury, finished second, running a time of 18 minutes and 24 seconds. Junior Molly Winters and senior Erica Ridderman finished behind them in third and fifth, respectively.

The Hoosier women had six runners place in the top 10 Saturday. Junior Brianna Johnson took seventh place, while freshman Amanda Behnke took ninth.

On the men’s side, Fife was the first to cross the finish line for the Hoosiers in 25 minutes and 30 seconds. The rest of the Hoosiers finished in a tight pack, which is what IU Coach Ron Helmer said he wanted to see days before the competition took place.

Sophomore Matt Schwartzer led the pack with a third-place finish. Freshman Jason Crist crossed the finish line right on the heels of Schwartzer, finishing only five-hundredths of a second behind to earn fourth place.

Kyle Overway finished fifth, while Evan Esselink followed behind him in sixth.

Other runners who finished in the top 10 for the Hoosiers were Robbie Nierman in seventh, junior J.R. Ricker in eighth and Owen Skeete in 10th.

The Indiana Open was a no-scoring event. The Hoosiers will be back in action, running in full force at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 20, at the Indiana Intercollegiate meet.

— Frank Bonner