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WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota cross country teams gave coach Ward Berndt exactly what he was looking for Saturday afternoon—and more.
 
Berndt admitted heading into Saturday's Saint Mary's Alumni Open that he was hoping to use the season-opening meet as a chance to gauge just where his Cardinal athletes were at.
 
And if their performances Saturday are any indication, the Cardinals are in top form for this time of the season.
 
Austin O'Hare (Rushford, Minn.) and Jovan Newsum (Glendale Heights, Ill.) led a Cardinal 1-2 finish in the men's race—a dual against Luther—while Danielle Franke (Mounds View, Minn.) and Alyssa Thiel (Berlin, Wis.) paced the Saint Mary's women with sixth- and seventh-place efforts in the four-team women's race.
 
O'Hare clocked a winning time of 22:09.7, outdistancing Newsum, who was second in 22:30.7. Luther's Erik Duethman (23:55.7), Patrick Finnegan (23:56.0), and Alex Streitz (23:56.1) rounded out the meet's top five performers.
 
Brandon Krogman (Owatonna, Minn.) was the third Cardinal across the finish line, clocking a time of 23:56.3, followed by Sherman Moga (Shoreview, Minn. / 24:21.3), Chance Johnson (Blair, Minn. / 26:37.3), and Marlon Barrett-Dwyer (Chicago, Ill. / 27:54.8).
 
Luther swept the top five spots in running away from the field in the women's race, with the Norse's Kat Hoffman edging out teammate Erin Ellefsen at the finish line for the individual top spot. Hoffman stopped the clock in 22:18.3, while Ellefsen was right on her heels at 22:18.7.
 
Franke, making her collegiate debut, posted a team-best time of 22:49.7, with Thiel adding a time of 22:50.7. Amelia Sweet (Prescott, Wis.) chipped in a 23:20.4 showing, followed by Alicia Berkenes (Buffalo, Minn. / 23:21.8), Erika Thiel (Burr Ridge, Ill. / 24:06.1), Maddie Bollig (St. Croix Falls, Wis. / 24:08.5), and Emily Ortiz (Albert Lea, Minn. / 24:23.2).
 
The Cardinals are back in action on Friday, heading to River Falls, Wis., to take part in the UW-River Falls Open.