Senior Adam Piaskowy (Crete, Ill./Crete-Monee H.S.) led the way for Valparaiso with a ninth place finish as the Crusaders finished in fourth place at the Crusader Invitational held on Friday evening at Sunset Hills Farm.
Valpo finished with 98 points. Notre Dame scored a perfect 15 points to win the team title, with Wisconsin-Green Bay edging out Saint Joseph's (Ind.) 64-69 for second place. Notre Dame's Dan Driscoll was the individual winner in a time of 25:30.
Piaskowy turned in the Brown and Gold's top time of 26:42 over the eight-kilometer course. Freshman Ben Radke (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge H.S.) was the second Crusader across the finish line with a time of 28:17, finishing 20th overall. A trio of runners then finished 22nd, 23rd, and 24th. Richie White (Munster, Ind./Munster H.S.) led the way with a time of 28:35, with Jason Douthett (Highland, Ind./Highland H.S.) just three seconds behind. Michael Brouch (Aurora, Ill./Marmion Academy) rounded out the scoring with a time of 28:45.
Valparaiso will return to the race course next Friday as the Brown and Gold travel to the Indiana Intercollegiates in West Lafayette, Ind. hosted by Purdue.