KERNERSVILLE, N.C. – The North Carolina A&T men's cross country team went into action Friday night for only the third time all season. They finished seventh at the High Point University VertCross Invitational at the 8k Ivey M. Redmon Complex course. 

A&T had 197 points, a total time of 2:23.39, and an average time of 28:20. East Tennessee State University (ETSU) took first place with 26 points, followed by HPU's 45 points and Davidson's 62 points. 

Individually, senior Jordan Richardson (Nashville, N.C.) had the fastest time for A&T. He crossed the finish line in 26:33.7 to finish 27th. ETSU's Evan Guzman won the meet with a time of 24:28. The next two finishers were individuals, followed by ETSU's Josh Krafsur, who scored two points by finishing fourth in 24:41.1. Davidson's Owen Davis (24:48.1) rounded out the top-5. 

Richardson, who ran a 6k personal-best 19:26 at N.C. State's adidas XC Challenge last month, ran an average time of 3:19.2 per kilometer (1,000 meters). Richardson's best 8k time of the season occurred on Oct. 7 when he ran 26:17.3 at the Royal XC Challenge in Charlotte. 

Freshman Dawson Grogan had the second-fastest time for the Aggies, clocking in at 28:03.05. He ran 27:44.9 last week in Charlotte. His average time per kilometer was 3:30.4. Freshman Knox Witherspoon also scored for the Aggies (42 points, 28:17.4). Freshman Abdiselam Green finished right behind Witherspoon, scoring 43 points and finishing in 28:19.3. Senior Christopher Lomax closed out the scoring for A&T with 54 points as he crossed in 32:24.2. 

The Aggies next contest will be the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Cross Country Championships on Oct. 28 at White Clay Creek State Park in Newark, Del.