KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University men's cross country team used four top 10 finishes and seven runners in the top 19 to fend off West Chester on its home course and win Saturday morning's DII/DIII Challenge at the North Campus Farm Loop.
 
The Golden Bears made it back-to-back meet victories to open the 2025 season after capturing last week's WCU Season Opener. While KU swept the top five finishing positions to record the lowest possible team score at WCU, the Golden Rams made the hosts work for this one.
 
Two-time All-PSAC runner Adam Brocato (Reisterstown, Md./Calvert Hall) paced four Golden Bears in the top 10 with a fifth-place finish. Brocato crossed the line to complete the 8k meet in 26:26.2. Robby Lloyd (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North), who won the WCU meet, was in tow, taking sixth in 26:29.0.
 
Sophomores Willie Wiles (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) and Peyton Small (Littlestown, Pa./Littlestown) rounded out KU's top 10 finishers. Wiles was eighth in 26:46.8 and Small took 10th in 26:51.6.
 
Kutztown's depth would make all the difference at the end.
 
The Golden Rams claimed the top two spots with Josh Miller (25:54.9) winning and Matthew Remishofski (26:12.1) finishing runner-up. WCU even had its top four runners finish within the top 12, but Kutztown backed up its four top 10s with three more runners in the top 20, while the Golden Rams' fifth finisher was 22nd.
 
Jack Hollar (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Pocono Mountain East) secured a 15th-place finish for KU in 27:08.1, two spots ahead of Connor Murphy (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth) in 17th (27:19.7). It was another two spots back from Murphy to Port Habalar (Williamsport, Pa./South Williamsport) in 19th (27:24.2) as the Golden Bears held on to register the low score with 44 points, ahead of WCU's 47. East Stroudsburg was third with 82.
 
A trio of newcomers put forth top 30 performances, led by Zach Haase (Blairstown, N.J./North Warren Regional) in 24th (27:33.2). Cole Doms (Somerdale, N.J./Sterling) took 26th (27:37.1) and Weston Fry (Montoursville, Pa./Montoursville) was 30th (27:48.7).
 
Also competing in KU's home meet were Kayden Platania (Buena, N.J./Buena Regional) in 49th (28:34.6), Brett Pevec (Macungie, Pa./Emmaus) in 63rd (29:23.9), Conor Fisher (Allentown, Pa./Emmaus) in 67th (29:37.7) and Ryan Kenneff (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) in 82nd (30:32.2). Saturday's race featured 102 runners from nine schools.
 
Kutztown will take a few weeks to train before returning to action at the Lehigh Paul Short Run on Oct. 3.
 

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DII/DIII CHALLENGE
Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025
Kutztown, Pa. | North Campus Farm Loop | 8,000 Meters
102 Runners
 
KUTZTOWN RESULTS
Team: 1st/9 (44 pts.)
 
5. Adam Brocato (Reisterstown, Md./Calvert Hall), 26:26.2
6. Robby Lloyd (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North), 26:29.0
8. Willie Wiles (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford), 26:46.8
10. Peyton Small (Littlestown, Pa./Littlestown), 26:51.6
15. Jack Hollar (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Pocono Mountain East), 27:08.1
17. Connor Murphy (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth), 27:19.7
19. Port Habalar (Williamsport, Pa./South Williamsport), 27:24.2
24. Zach Haase (Blairstown, N.J./North Warren Regional), 27:33.2
26. Cole Doms (Somerdale, N.J./Sterling), 27:37.1
30. Weston Fry (Montoursville, Pa./Montoursville), 27:48.7
49. Kayden Platania (Buena, N.J./Buena Regional), 28:34.6
63. Brett Pevec (Macungie, Pa./Emmaus), 29:23.9
67. Conor Fisher (Allentown, Pa./Emmaus), 29:37.7
82. Ryan Kenneff (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central), 30:32.2