The SBVC men's cross country got back on the course Oct. 11 after a three-week layoff.

The extra time training paid off with a third-place finish at the Brubaker Invitational at Irvine Regional Park.

The Wolverines ran their best team grouping (runners 1-5) of 27 seconds in finishing third with 105 points at the event, hosted by Santa Ana College. Mt. SAC won the meet with 35 points, with Riverside finishing second with 67. Seventeen total men's teams competed, including Hartnell from Northern California.

The Wolverines were led by freshman Kevin Quinteros (Fontana AB Miller) who took 13th at 21 minutes, 17 seconds. Sophomore Alvaro Heredia (Rialto) followed eight seconds later at 21:25 in 19th place with freshman Elvis Rojas King (Beaumont) clocking 21:36 for 21st. Jeffory Phelps, a sophomore from Citrus Valley, ran his best four-mile race in a Valley uniform to claim 23rd place at 21:37. Sophomore Jose Escalante (Jurupa Valley) rounded out the scoring for SBVC at 21:44 for 29th.

"We have been running closer together in workouts lately and it showed in the race," said head coach Jim Ratigan. "We had a couple guys a little banged up this week, and they did not place as low as they have in previous races. We have time to get them healthy and make a strong run at the first Inland Empire Athletic Conference title as well as podium finishes at So Cal and State," said Ratigan.

The Wolverines will race for the inaugural IEAC title Oct. 25 at Chaffey College. The women's race begins at 10 a.m. with the men at 11 a.m.