MANCHESTER, N.H. – Sophomore David Cooper (Woburn/Woburn HS) and freshman Eric Alatalo (Wilmington/Wilmington HS) were the top finishers for the Bentley University men's cross country team during Saturday's Shacklette Invitational at Saint Anselm College.

Cooper, a transfer from Lasell College, was 18th with an 8,000-meter time of 28:25.4 and Alatalo followed three places later, with a clocking of 28:33.5.

The Falcons' top three also included freshman Tim Bolick (Hopkinton/Hopkinton HS), son of Bentley Athletic Hall of Famer Paul Bolick '87. He finished in 28:44.6, good for 27th.

Bentley, hit hard by graduation (losing the top six) and not entering its most experienced runners, placed fourth in a seven-team field with a score of 120. Stonehill College, with six of the top nine finishers, took the team title with 30 points, and Merrimack College followed with 39.

Assumption's Anthony Fiermonte was the first across the finish line, besting runner-up Dan Brien of Merrimack by ten seconds.

Next Saturday, Bentley will run in the Dartmouth Invitational with several Division I top 30 teams.

SHACKLETTE INVITATIONAL

At Saint Anselm College, Manchester, N.H.

Team Standings: 1. Stonehill 30, 2. Merrimack 39, 3. Assumption 80, 4. Bentley 120, 5. Saint Anselm 132, 6. St. Michael's 168, 7. New England College 199.

Top Individuals: 1. Anthony Fiermonte, Assumption, 27:27.9; 2. Dan Brien, Merrimack, 27:37.9; 3. Sherif Ali, Merrimack, 27:39.6; 4. Joseph Santo, Stonehill, 27:50.3; 5. Scott Waller, Stonehill, 27:50.6.

Bentley Runners: 18. David Cooper, 28:25.4; 21. Erik Alatalo, 28:33.5; 27. Tim Bolick, 28:44.6; 33. Joey Carroll, 29:06.4; 36. Christian Connolly, 29:26.7; 39. Danny Pirrello, 29:39.8; 46. Ben Baron, 30:16.8; 48. Jonathan Miksis, 30:18.3; 51. Davin McCarthy, 30:28.5; 55. Greg Karpacz, 30:42.5; 58. Andrea Bertini, 30:58.3.