Ghana’s Aziz Mohammed set the ground running for Northwest Missouri State as he led the Bearcats men’s cross country team to a strong third-place finish at the Arkansas Chili Pepper Festival meet in Fayetteville.
Aziz, a senior, ran an impressive 23:44.2 in the men’s 8K to place sixth overall, finishing as the top Bearcat on the day. His effort anchored a trio of standout performances, with fellow seniors Drew Atkins (23:59.5) and Maxime Touron (24:34.5) placing eighth and 20th respectively — the latter setting a new personal best.
After the race, Aziz shared his excitement on Facebook, posting:
“Mercy calls my name !!! Cross country is actually more fun than I thought it could be !!! #Consistency and Discipline”.
Northwest’s depth proved crucial, with juniors Grayson Tapp (35th, 24:52.0) and Baranabe Gabillett (36th, 24:52.3) both clocking personal bests to round out the top five. The Bearcats ultimately scored 103 points to place third behind Arkansas (40) and Texas (56).
With the MIAA Championship meet looming in Pittsburg, Kansas, on October 25, Aziz and his teammates are eager to carry their momentum into the postseason.
