CENTER VALLEY, Pa. -- Samuel Gerstenbacher's sizzling start to cross country season continued on Saturday at the DeSales University Invitational. Gerstenbacher was the runner-up for the Elizabethtown College men's cross country team and the Blue Jays finished with 135 points to take third out of 25 teams. Dickinson won the men's meet with 51 points.

Gerstenbacher, a winner in his first two races in 2018, finished just off Eric Herrmann's pace from Dickinson. Gerstenbacher ran 25:50.8 and was one of just three runners in the men's race to break 26 minutes. It was his third straight top 2 finish of the season.

Tyler Alansky was the next to cross for E-town. The senior was 23rd overall in 26:54.2. Christopher Myers was five places behind him, in 28th, at 27:03.9.

Liam Coverdale took 36th and was the fourth runner to finish for the Jays. Timmy Witmer was next in 46th, just beating out teammate Colm Smith for the placement. Coverdale ran 27:35.0, Witmer finished in 27:43.5 and Smith at 27:45.5.

Herrman's winning time was 25:39.2.  Messiah took second with 76 points.

Elizabethtown will run at the Inter-Regional Border Battle hosted by Rowan University next Saturday, October 13.