Standish, ME-- The Great Northeast Athletic Conference preseason favorites Johnson & Wales University men's cross country team cruised to the team title at the 8th Annual Runnin' Monks Invitational hosted by St. Joseph's College of Maine on Saturday. Lasell's Miguel Taveras (Lawrence, MA) was the top runner for Lasell, placing 15th individually, leading the Lasers to a 5th place team finish.

Johnson & Wales runners sealed all five top spots in individual performances, as the Wildcats scored just 15 points in the victory.  Coming in second as a team was Lyndon State with 44 points, followed by University of Maine at Farmington with 79 points in third. St. Joseph's came in directly ahead of the Lasers with 114 points, and the Lasers came in fifth with 131 points. 

Taveras crossed the finish line first for the Lasers for the fifth time this season, clocking a time of 31:20 on the 8K course.  Raymon Donis (Raynham, MA) came in steps behind Taveras, finishing in 20th place and posting a time of 31:46.  

Kristopher McCabe (Kingston, NY) was the third Laser to conclude at St. Joseph's, with a time of 33 minutes and four seconds, edging the top 30 in 29th place overall. 

Charlie Dilella (Branford, CT), David Kananowitz (North Monmouth, ME), and Jeremy Fay (Belchertown, MA) clinched the top six performers at the race.  Dilella ran a time of 34:17, Kananowitz completed in 37:58, and Fay concluded at 40:48. 

Lasell's next engagement is scheduled for Saturday, October 15th at the Saints Invitational, held at Franklin Park.