The men’s cross country team began its 2011 season with a bang Saturday, beating out 11 other teams with 34 points to win the Oswego State Cross Country Invitational in Oswego, N.Y. Junior Nathan Bickell had the Bombers’ top finish in their first competitive meet of the season, finishing fourth in 26:44.40. Sophomore Conor Cashin of SUNY-Cobleskill won the eight-kilometer race in 26:40.15.

In addition to Bickell, the Blue and Gold also received strong performances from junior David Geary, who finished fifth in 27:07.11, senior team captain Daniel Craighead, who finished sixth in 27:07.46, and freshman Dennis Ryan, who finished tenth in 27:27.13.

Rounding out the Bombers’ top seven were junior Mark Vorensky, who finished 11th in 27:28.59, and senior Jacob Brower, who finished 18th in 27:55.72. Of the 148 runners in the race, no Bomber finished below 83rd and 11 Bombers finished in the top 50.

The South Hill squad will compete again next Saturday, sending runners to both the Oneonta Airfield Invitational at 11 a.m. in Oneonta, N.Y. and the Penn State Spiked Shoe Invitational at noon in University Park, Pa.