UTICA, N.Y. - Junior Chris Schimkus (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa) paced the Oneonta men's cross country team with a third-place finish at the season-opening SUNY Poly Short Course 6K Invite on Saturday morning. The Red Dragons took second out of four teams with 46 points, while Utica won with 21 points.

Utica's Bennett Melita placed first overall with a course record time of 18:49.5. Schimkus took third at 20:15.2.

Junior Noah Pickard (Batavia, NY/Batavia) crossed seventh at 20:45.5, while freshman Alexander Wheeler () took 12th at 21:24.0. The following four Oneonta runners grouped up with sophomore Brady McGowan (Seaford, NY/Seaford) running 21:59.9 for 14th overall. Sophomore Vincent DiStefano (Nesconset, NY/Smithtown West) was 15th at 22:00.2, and freshman Tyler Masiello (Pleasantville, NY/Westlake) took 16th at 22:01.8. Sophomore Jonathan McGwyne-Dantis (Blauvelt, NY/Tappan Zee) rounded out the group, placing 17th at 22:17.4.

Freshman Aidan Mann () earned 21st after running a 22:44.1, while freshman Donovan Lema (Oneonta, NY) was close behind for 22nd at 22:47.9. Freshman Alex Kunz took 24th (23:09.1) and junior Cael Owen (Gillett, PA/Horseheads)s placed 25th (23:11.9).

Oneonta next hosts the annual Oneonta Airfield Invitational at Fortin Park on Sept. 5 at 5 p.m.