The Valparaiso men’s cross country team ran in its final tuneup for the Horizon League Championships on Saturday, finishing tied for eighth place at the Evansville Invitational.

The Crusaders tallied 256 points for their joint eighth-place finish.  Southern Illinois took the team title with 31 points.

Senior Chris Honig (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard South [Indiana]) led the way for Valpo for the fourth time in as many races this year, crossing the line in 31st position with a time of 25:34.37.  Fellow senior Jim Turchyn (Batesville, Ind./Batesville) posted the fastest 8K time of his career to come home 42nd, completing the race in 25:51.93.

Sophomore Joel Hartenberger (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia) also ran a career-best time, completing the 8K in 26:21.57, good for a 70th-place showing.  Freshman Tyler Toll (LaPorte, Ind./LaPorte) contributed to the Crusader team score for the second time in his career, crossing the line 80th with a time of 26:34.70, while junior David Carter (Arlington Heights, Ill./John Hersey) rounded out Valpo’s five scoring runners with a time of 26:37.93, finishing in 85th position.

Valparaiso returns to the course in two Saturdays, running in the Horizon League Championships at Green Bay, Wis. on November 1.  The men’s 8K is slated for a noon start.