CANYON, Texas (Oct. 12, 2019) – Oklahoma Christian recorded its first cross country meet win since 2015 and freshman Owen Pearce took top honors on Saturday morning in the South Central Regional Preview.

The meet was hosted by West Texas A&M and run on the same course on which the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Championship will be run on Nov. 9. While OC coach Wade Miller certainly was pleased with how his team ran, he tempered his excitement with the realization some of the top squads in the seven-team field – including the host squad – didn't have their top runners competing.

"We had a solid team effort today and did a better job of being in position than we have all year," Miller said. "It was good for us to be able to race the regional course and get a sense of what it will be like in four weeks. We are looking forward to the conference meet in a couple of weeks."

OC posted a team score of 39, placing four runners in the top 10 in the 49-man field. That was nine ahead of Lone Star Conference rival St. Edward's (Texas), while another LSC squad, Dallas Baptist (Texas), was third with a score of 66. It was the Eagles' first team win since taking the Heartland Conference Championship title on Nov. 24, 2015, in Laredo, Texas.

Pearce, from Kingman, Kan., was named Wednesday as the LSC's freshman runner of the week and he put together another strong performance, holding off Noah Metzger of Dallas Baptist and Andrew Amor of New Mexico Highlands to win in 26:01.26. Metzger was second in 26:04.87, with Amor close behind in 26:06.57.

Pearce became OC's first individual winner since Brennym Kaelin won the Heartland title race in 2015.

OC junior Caleb Bozarth of Bakersfield, Calif., finished sixth individually with a time of 26:01.26. Junior Colton Meyers of Allen, Texas, was eighth in 26:33.68, with freshman Ethan Anthony of Mornington, Australia, 10th in 26:47.79.

The Eagles' other runners Saturday were senior Kelton Reynolds of Abilene, Texas (20th in 27:43.46), senior Jake Weith of Arlington, Texas (25th in 28:15.82) and junior Brady Aderholt of Vernon, Texas (39th in 29:42.60).

OC now will turn its attention toward preparing for the Lone Star Conference Championship race, which will be run Nov. 26 in Silver City, N.M., at University Golf Course at Scott Park.