RINDGE, N.H. – With sophomore Nik Haas (Ramsey, N.J./Ramsey HS) the first Falcon to reach the finish line, a young Bentley University team placed fourth in the 2014 Northeast-10 Conference Men's Cross Country Championships, held Sunday morning at Franklin Pierce University.

Bentley, whose top seven included five sophomores and a freshman, finished with a score of 144 to trail American International College (19), Stonehill College (52) and the host team (124). A total of 15 teams competed in the championship.

Haas earned third-team All-Northeast-10 honors by running to a 19th-place finish, reaching the line of the 8,0000-meter race in 28:51.4. Sophomore David Cooper (Woburn, Mass./Woburn HS) joined him in the top 30, placing 26th in 29:10.4. Haas improved on his 2013 finish by 27 places and Cooper climbed even more, moving up 59 places from a year ago.

Bentley's top five also included sophomore Cullen McHale (Burlington, Conn./Lewis S. Mills HS) (33rd, 29:22.0), classmate Rupak Mehta (Howell, N.J./Howell HS) (38th, 29:28.8) and freshman Ryan Cadorette (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) (39th, 29:33.7).

AIC had the top three individuals with Mike Biwott repeating as champion by nearly 100 seconds, finishing in 26:07.6.

Bentley will be back in action Nov. 22 when it runs in the NCAA Division II East Regional at Mine Falls Park in Nashua, N.H.

NORTHEAST-10 CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Rindge, N.H.

Team Standings: 1. American International 19, 2. Stonehill 52, 3. Franklin Pierce 124, 4. Bentley 144, 5. Adelphi 161, 6. Merrimack 169, 7. Southern Connecticut St. 181, 8. Saint Rose 206, 9. Southern New Hampshire 214, 10. Assumption 243, 11. St. Michael's 330, 12. Le Moyne 341, 13. New Haven 372, 14. Saint Anselm 420, 15. Pace 500

Top Individuals: 1. Mike Biwott, AIC, 26:07.6; 2. Conor Cashin, AIC, 27:42.2; 3. John Chirchir, AIC, 27:43.8; 4. Anthony Fiermonte, Assumption, 27:50.0; 5. Bryan Wilcox, Stonehill, 27:58.3

Bentley Runners: 19. Nik Haas 28:51.8; 25. David Cooper 29:10.4; 33. Cullen McHale 29:22.0; 38. Rupak Mehta 29:28.8; 39. Ryan Cadorette 29:33.7; 65. Erik Alatalo 30:21.4; 69. Andrew McCluskey 30:30.4; 72. Graham Chapski 30:32.1; 80. Seamus Higgins 31:02.7; 90. Mac Segura-Cook 31:16.6; 132. Greg Karpacz 33:49.0; 146. Jamie Farley 34:42.2; 150. Andrew Bertini 35:01.2; 157. Jeff Wallin 36:53.3.