EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — With the season hitting the midway point, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota cross country coach Ward Berndt was looking for his Cardinals to "turn up the heat" at the UW-Eau Claire Invitational.
 
And turn it up they did.
 
The Cardinal men, led by Jovan Newsum (Glendale Heights, Ill.) and Austin O'Hare (Rushford, Minn.), placed 13th, while the Saint Mary's women, behind the efforts of Erika Thiel (Burr Ridge, Ill.) and Heidi Ledermann (Mahtomedi, Minn.), posted a 14th-place team showing.
 
Newsum put together his best eight-kilometer race of the season, stopping the clock in 26:25.9, with O'Hare right on his heels, recording a time of 26:31.5. Sherman Moga (Shoreview, Minn.) added a time of 27:55.3, with Jase Pater (Adrian, Minn. / 27:55.4), Brandon Krogman (Owatonna, Minn. / 28:06.0), and Austin Kleman (Kronenwetter, Wis. / 30:36.5) rounding out the Cardinals' top six.
 
Thiel was the first Cardinal female across the finish line, touring the 6K course in 25:23.1, while Ledermann was close behind in 25:38.1. Alicia Berkenes (Buffalo, Minn.) chipped in a time of 26:03.3, followed by Paige Schernecker (Manawa, Wis. / 26:08.3), Emily Ortiz (Albert Lea, Minn. / 26:16.1), Allie Thiel (Burr Ridge, Ill. / 26:33.8), and Josie Moreno (Cicero, Ill. / 26:26.5).
 
Host UW-Eau Claire won the men's race, edging runner-up St. Olaf by 15 points, with UW-La Crosse, UW-Platteville and Saint John's rounding out the top five. On the women's side, UW-La Crosse captured the team title, followed by St. Olaf, UW-Eau Claire, University of Minnesota, and Michigan Tech.
 
The Cardinals are back in action on Oct. 17, taking part in the UW-La Crosse Jim Drews/Tori Neubauer Invitationals.