Led by sophomore Doug Brady’s sub-26 minute first-place performance on the 8,000-meter course, the Drake men’s cross-country ‘B’ team took first place in the Grand View Invitational last Friday.

Brady finished the course at Ewing Park in 25:47.

The Bulldogs were able to place five runners in the top 10 as they dominated the competition. In addition to Brady, these runners include sophomore Ryan Flynn in fourth, junior Mike Rodriguez in fifth, sophomore Matt Eckman in eighth and senior Matt Jurysta in 10th.

The team scored 24 points as the team picked up its third first-place finish of the young season. Head coach Dan Hostager was pleased with his team’s performance and is happy with the direction the team is heading as it rolls into October.

“I thought our squad competed very well today as it was a nice competitive opportunity for a lot of our younger runners,” Hostager said. “This was a great step forward as we move towards our bigger meets in October.”

The next step Drake will take is in Orlando, Fla., for the Walt Disney Cross Country Classic this Saturday. The team will leave on Friday and return on Sunday. The race will feature the Bulldogs’ top seven runners.