BUFFALO – Freshman Zach Buckner led the St. Bonaventure men's cross country team to a third-place finish Saturday afternoon at a rain-soaked Delaware Park in the Canisius Alumni Classic.

St. Bonaventure recorded 93 team points, behind only Geneseo (44) and Canisius (47) in the 12-team field. Early morning heavy rains throughout the region left the course slick and did not provide a setting for fast times. 

The Bonnies have been led by a freshman in every race this season, but Saturday was Buckner's first time at the head of the pack. The first-year runner placed sixth overall out of 119 competitors with his 8K time of 26:35. Despite the course conditions, he was just 10 seconds off his PR time set last month. 

Junior Darion Gregory finished 16^th with a run of 27:06.7 while freshman Clay Peets, who led the team in each of the first four meets this season, gave the Bonnies another top-20 finisher with his 19^th-place effort of 27:10.0. Sophomore Zane Courtwright was 25^th at 27:33.4 and graduate Nathan Prisella was 27^th with his time of 27:35.2.

Freshmen Colin McCarthy (28:14.8) and Jared Deno (28:30.5) were also in Bona's top seven.

The Bonnies now turn their attention to the Atlantic 10 Championships Oct. 30 in Cedarville, Ohio.

BONNIES FINISHERS
6. Zach Buckner – 26:35.0
16. Darion Gregory – 27:06.7
19. Clay Peets – 27:10.0
25. Zane Courtwright – 27:33.4
27. Nathan Prisella – 27:35.2
42. Colin McCarthy – 28:14.8
49. Jared Deno – 28:30.5
54. Brian Gleason – 28:40.4
56. Kieran Ryan – 28:42.7
57. Wyatt Hulsey – 28:44.2
65. Hayden Barry – 29:02.9
68. Ryan Murphy – 29:07.1
70. John Pullano – 29:09.5
72. Logan Caruso – 29:13.9
74. James Fitzmaurice – 29:17.1
81. Thomas Dachik – 29:51.5
88. Ryan Lewis – 30:11.4
89. Elias Kott – 30:12.2
92. Conor Quinn – 30:23.5
104. Owen Noecker – 31:28.0
109. Henry Trost – 32:26.9
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