Mountaineers men’s cross country capture gold at OCAA Championship

Mohawk bring home championship banner for first-time in 29 years

(CAMBRIDGE) – Mohawk Mountaineers men's cross country is golden for the first-time in 29 years as they captured gold at the 2023 OCAA Championship.

Mohawk came into the final OCAA race of the year nationally ranked No. 1 after placing first at three invitationals this season.

"It's a different feeling being the favourite coming in and it definitely came with some pressure," said head coach David Hopton. "We knew it was going to come down to seconds, which it did."

The Mountaineers finished the race at Shade's Mills Conservation Area in Cambridge with a team score of 32. It was five points better than the silver medalling Fanshawe Falcons.

Sage Sulentic (Dundas, ON) claimed an individual bronze medal for Mohawk, finishing 0.1 seconds behind the second-place runner. Sulentic's individual medal is the first at provincials for the Mountaineers men's team since 2018.

Albert Lanting (Caledonia, ON) had his best race of the season, placing seventh overall. Meanwhile, Matias Tessel (Guelph, ON) was the third Mountaineer in the top-10, finishing ninth.

Yassin Saleh (Hamilton, ON) also ran a solid race for Mohawk, crossing the finish line at 14^th. Tyler Karl (Collingwood, ON) rounded out the Mountaineers team at 32^nd.

Sulentic and Lanting earned OCAA First-Team All-Ontario honours, while Second-Team All-Ontario honours were given to Tessel and Saleh.

"We won this (championship) with depth, having our top four as first and second team All-Ontario recipients," Hopton said.

With the gold medal win Mohawk clinches its spot into the 2023 CCAA National Championship race being held on Nov. 11 in Truro, Nova Scotia.

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Players Mentioned

Tyler Karl: 5' 11"; Sophomore

Matias Tessel: 5' 11"; Junior

Albert Lanting: 5' 8"; Freshman

Yassin Saleh: 5' 8"; Freshman

Sage Sulentic: 5' 7"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Tyler Karl
: 5' 11"; Sophomore

Matias Tessel
: 5' 11"; Junior

Albert Lanting
: 5' 8"; Freshman

Yassin Saleh
: 5' 8"; Freshman

Sage Sulentic
: 5' 7"; Freshman