SANTA CLARITA, Calif. – Hawai'i Pacific University's Jona Bodirsky finished second overall as he led the Sharks men and women at The Master's University Cross Country Invitational on Saturday at Central Park.
 
Bodirsky, the Rettingheim, Germany junior, ran the men's 8-kilometer course in 24:47.6 for second, edging out Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) runner Demetris Love Jr. in third at 24:47.9. Bodirsky was five seconds behind Santiago Hardy, the only runner from Antelope Valley, who won the event in 24:42.8. The HPU junior scored the top point as the best runner with a full team.
 
The Sharks men totaled 344 points to finish 13th among the 16th full teams competing that included schools from NCAA Division I, Division II, Division III and the NAIA.
 
Senior David Rutto of Eldoret, Kenya was the next runner across for HPU, placing 106th with a time of 28:27.5, with junior Troy Oshimo of Honolulu/Kalani clocking a 28:33.6 in 109th. Sophomore Kent Glover of Trussville, Ala./Hewitt-Trussville added a 29:01.6 in 112th and freshman Logan Thomas of Tustin, Calif./Tustin completed the Sharks scoring with a 29:50.0 in 118th.
 
Host The Master's won the men's team event with 59 points, as PacWest Conference foe Biola placed second with 82 and Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) was third with 103 points. Division I Loyola Marymount was fourth with 110 and Cal State Northridge fifth with 128.
 
Super senior Robyn Kaltenbrunn of Johannesburg, South Africa, led the Sharks in the women's 5-kilometer race. Kaltenbrunn was tripped up in the second mile, but battled back to finish 62nd in a time of 19:46.9, as senior Karen Corona-Perez of Ocracoke, N.C./Ocracoke crossed 77th in 20:12.8. Senior Maggie Meeds of Anchorage, Alaska/South Anchorage ran a 20:55.0 for 98th, freshman Emma Dominguez of Whittier, Calif./California HS added a 21:24.9 in 108th, and freshman Jadelyn Rodriguez of Barnegat, N.J./Barnegat posted a 23:36.3 in 132nd.
 
The HPU women placed 17th with 409 points, just behind Menlo with 404.
 
Loyola Marymount won the women's title with 45 points, with Biola second with 76, and The Master's third with 89. Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) scored 97 points in fourth and Westmont was fifth with 120 in the 19 team field.
 
The Sharks are in action again next Saturday when they host the annual HPU Sharks Invitational on the North Shore at the Kahuku Golf Course.