Scott McKeough, Clay Talbot, Alex Stapp, and Luke LaCour race at the Mount Carmel Invitational.

Jesuit’s cross country team opened its 2017 campaign with a second place finish at the Mount Carmel Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 9 at the City Park course. Belle Chasse took home the championship trophy.

Sophomore Brandon Hall was the first Blue Jay across the finish line and fourth overall, posting a time of 16:53 on the three-mile course. Two other Blue Jay runners finished in the Top Ten–senior Jordan Tufts in 7th-place (17:25) and junior Harrison LeBlanc in 10th place (17:43). Rounding out the Top Five for the Jays were freshman Jack Wallace (17:47) and senior Ryan Guillot (17:48).

Saturday’s times across the board were on the high side, especially given the unseasonably mild temperature and lack of humidity at the 9:30 race time, prompting some chatter that the course might have been laid out a bit long.

Coach Rudy Horvath ’86 declined to wade into that debate. “The times are what they are,” said Horvath. “Even if it was a little long, it didn’t make a difference. Hats off to Belle Chasse.”