UNIONVILLE, Pa. – Robby Lloyd (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North) outlasted a whole pack of Golden Bears to win his first collegiate race as the Kutztown University men's cross country team cruised to the team victory at Friday evening's WCU Season Opener.
 
The Golden Bears swept the top five to register the lowest score possible (15 points), while also claiming 11 of the top 14 individual finishers.
 
Lloyd traversed the 5k Unionville High School course in 16:16.1 to best teammate Willie Wiles (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) by three seconds (16:19.1). Lloyd's victory was his best finish since a ninth-place showing in his collegiate debut at the Adelphi Panthers Invite on Sept. 1, 2023. The Newtown, Pa., native has represented the Maroon and Gold at the PSAC Championships and NCAA DII Atlantic Region Championships in each of his two previous seasons with the program.
 
Continuing Kutztown's dominance at the front of the field were sophomore Peyton Small (Littlestown, Pa./Littlestown) in third (16:21.9), Adam Brocato (Reisterstown, Md./Calvert Hall) in fourth (16:22.1) and newcomer Weston Fry (Montoursville, Pa./Montoursville) in fifth (16:26.7).
 
Connor Murphy (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth) finished seventh (16:43.2) and Zach Haase (Blairstown, N.J./North Warren Regional) eighth (16:46.3) to round out the Bears' top 10 finishers.
 
Just outside the top 10 were Port Habalar (Williamsport, Pa./South Williamsport) in 11th (16:55.0), Sean Carpenter (Blandon, Pa./Fleetwood) in 12th (17:01.6), Cole Doms (Somerdale, N.J./Sterling) in 13th (17:05.0) and Jack Hollar (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Pocono Mountain East) in 14th (17:07.3).
 
Also competing for KU in the 58-runner field Friday were Conor Fisher (Allentown, Pa./Emmaus) (19th, 17:35.3), Ryan Kenneff (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) (23rd, 17:51.4), Kayden Platania (Buena, N.J./Buena Regional) (27th, 18:05.8) and Brett Pevec (Macungie, Pa./Emmaus) (29th, 18:10.3).
 
Host West Chester finished a distant second to Kutztown with 63 points, while Goldey-Beacom (85), Georgian Court (91) and Penn State Brandywine (143) rounded out the top five.
 
Kutztown will host its annual home meet, the DII/DIII Challenge, on the North Campus Farm Course next Saturday, Sept. 13, at 9:30 a.m. WCU SEASON OPENER
Friday, Sept. 5 | Unionville High School | Unionville, Pa.
Men's 5K
58 Runners
 
KUTZTOWN RESULTS
Team: 1st/6 (15 pts.)
 
1. Robby Lloyd (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North), 16:16.1
2. Willie Wiles (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford), 16:19.1
3. Peyton Small (Littlestown, Pa./Littlestown), 16:21.9
4. Adam Brocato (Reisterstown, Md./Calvert Hall), 16:22.1
5. Weston Fry (Montoursville, Pa./Montoursville), 16:26.7
7. Connor Murphy (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth), 16:43.2
8. Zach Haase (Blairstown, N.J./North Warren Regional), 16:46.3
11. Port Habalar (Williamsport, Pa./South Williamsport), 16:55.0
12. Sean Carpenter (Blandon, Pa./Fleetwood), 17:01.6
13. Cole Doms (Somerdale, N.J./Sterling), 17:05.0
14. Jack Hollar (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Pocono Mountain East), 17:07.3
19. Conor Fisher (Allentown, Pa./Emmaus), 17:35.3
23. Ryan Kenneff (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central), 17:51.4
27. Kayden Platania (Buena, N.J./Buena Regional), 18:05.8
29. Brett Pevec (Macungie, Pa./Emmaus), 18:10.1