A look at the victory stand at this year's Division II Men's Cross Country Championships November 23 at Ashland might have reminded those in attendance of Yogi Berra and one of his legendary sayings.

It was déjà vu all over again as Western State won its fourth straight team title and Abilene Christian and Adams State finished second and third, respectively, for the third consecutive year.

To complete the "haven't we seen this before" theme, Abilene Christian's Alfred Rugema won his second individual championship.

Western State compiled a team score of 35 points after placing four runners among the first 10 finishers. William Banks led the contingent of Mountaineers by coming in fourth. He was followed by Rubin McRae in sixth place, Josh Eberly in eighth and Chris Siemers in the 10th position.

Kelly Christiansen rounded out Western State's scorers in 15th place.

"We hope to peak at the right time of the year and be healthy at the right time of the year," said Western State head coach Duane Vandenbusche. "We feel very fortunate, very honored, to win."

Rugema, who won his first title in 2000, engaged in a back-and-forth struggle with Nick Cordes of the host institution. Cordes passed Rugema with about 3,000 meters remaining in the 10,000-meter race, only to have the Abilene Christian runner rally to win with a time of 30 minutes, 43.7 seconds.

"It was cold," said Rugema. "This was the first time for me to run in these kind of conditions. It was hard; the first mile my feet were frozen. It took me maybe three or four miles to get warm."

Cordes placed second, 2.8 seconds behind Rugema. "Everyone saw that I gave it my best shot. The home crowd here was awesome."

Zepherinus Joseph of North Florida was third. Cele Rodriguez led Adams State by placing fifth, and Bernard Manirakiza gave Abilene Christian its second top-10 finisher with a ninth-place effort.

Team results

1. Western St., 35; 2. Abilene Christian, 81; 3. Adams St., 131; 4. South Dakota St., 143; 5. Cal St. Chico, 154; 6. Mass.-Lowell, 206; 7. Mo. Southern St., 265; 8. UC Davis, 282; 9. Grand Valley St., 283; 10. Fort Hays St., 327; 11. Hillsdale, 332; 12. Alas. Anchorage, 358; 13. Kennesaw St., 359; 14. (tie) Hillsdale and Truman, 367; 16. South Dakota, 377; 17. Edinboro, 409; 18. Millersville, 475; 19. North Fla., 481; 20. Shippensburg, 495; 21. Central Mo. St., 533; 22. Bentley, 554; 23. Mars Hill, 656; 24. Pfeiffer, 785.

Individual results

1. Alfred Rugema, Abilene Christian, 30:43.7; 2. Nick Cordes, Ashland, 30:46.5; 3. Zepherinus Joseph, North Fla., 30:51.0; 4. William Banks, Western St., 31:04.1; 5. Cele Rodriguez, Adams St., 31:04.6; 6. Rubin McRae, Western St., 31:14.7; 7. Paul Kezes, Western Wash., 31:16.7; 8. Josh Eberly, Western St., 31:30.5; 9. Bernard Manirakiza, Abilene Christian, 31:33.0; 10. Chris Siemers, Western St., 31:33.3.

11. Chris Eggers, Cal St. Chico, 31:36.7; 12. Matt Levassiur, Adams St., 31:42.8; 13. Josh Merrick, Adams St., 31:44.0; 14. John Kemboi, Abilene Christian, 31:56.1; 15. Kelly Christiansen, Western St., 31:58.9; 16. Timothy Parr, Western St., 31:59.7; 17. Bradley Lowery, South Dakota St., 32:00.8; 18. Phillip McPherson, Western St., 32:00.9; 19. Kevin Doe, South Dakota St., 32:00.9; 20. Patrick Boivin, Cal St. Chico, 32:03.0.

21. Greg Darbyshire, South Dakota St., 32:04.4; 22. Daryn Parker, Fort Hays St., 32:07.8; 23. Mark Stallings, Millersville, 32:08.9; 24. Adam Lindahl, South Dakota, 32:11.1; 25. Joseph Mutai, Kennesaw St., 32:11.5; 26. Matt Helbig, Truman, 32:12.3; 27. Martin Okello, Abilene Christian, 32:13.5; 28. Jacob Rotich, Harding, 32:16.9; 29. Steven Laurie, UC Davis, 32:19.2; 30. Dale Dexter, Fort Hays St., 32:21.1.

31. Brian Lyons, Mo. Southern St., 32:22.4; 32. Steve Larson, Hillsdale, 32:23.1; 33. Carl Mease, Mass.-Lowell, 32:23.3; 34. Darik Hoff, North Dakota St., 32:24.4; 35. Brian Goodwin, Wayne St. (Mich.), 32:24.9; 36. Matt Falkner, Cal St. Chico, 32:25.7; 37. Jonathan Murphy, Mass.-Lowell, 32:26.2; 38. Magnus Holmstrom, Mo. Southern St., 32:31.2; 39. Jerry Reckart, North Fla., 32:31.5; 40. Jean-Marie Ndikumana, Abilene Christian, 32:31.7.

41. Juan Sanchez, Cal St. Chico, 32:33.1; 42. Arthemon Sindayigaya, Abilene Christian, 32:35.2; 43. Reed Fisher, Harding, 32:36.4; 44. Pete Clusener, Humboldt St., 32:37.0; 45. Kimmo Lassila, Edinboro, 32:38.7; 46. Kevin Alliette, Mass.-Lowell, 32:39.8; 47. Mark Terpstra, Grand Valley St., 32:43.5; 48. Jeff Vyain, Grand Valley St., 32:45.3; 49. Matthew Pearson, South Dakota St., 32:47.6; 50. Nathan Bristow, UC Davis, 32:48.6.

51. Ewen North, Adams St., 32:52.8; 52. Jay Hill, Central Mo. St., 32:54.2; 53. Andrew Blau, South Dakota St., 32:54.5; 54. Mark Batres, Cal Poly Pomona, 32:55.0; 55. Daniel Sawicki, Mass.-Lowell, 32:55.9; 56. Larry Boswell, Mo. Southern St., 32:57.5; 57. Nick Branen, Abilene Christian, 32:57.7; 58. Levi Brathall, UC-Colo. Spgs., 32:58.5; 59. Mike Cropper, Lewis, 32:59.1; 60. Patrick Morasse, Mass.-Lowell, 33:00.3.

61. Alex Daniels, UC Davis, 33:00.4; 62. Dave Vandermeer, Grand Valley St., 33:01.9; 63. Eric Strabel, Alas. Anchorage, 33:02.6; 64. Sean Rivers, Alas. Anchorage, 33:03.7; 65. James Stehle, Shippensburg, 33:05.8; 66. Christopher Layman, Cal St. Chico, 33:08.7; 67. Jacob Christensen, South Dakota, 33:09.0; 68. Andrew Bird, Emporia St., 33:09.5; 69. Eric Blake, Adams St., 33:10.6; 70. Maciej Miarecko, Harding, 33:11.1.

71. Petri Kykyri, Mo. Southern St., 33:12.9; 72. Aaron Rowe, Edinboro, 33:13.7; 73. Kevin Blacquiere, Grand Valley St., 33:14.4; 74. Michael Nikkila, Hillsdale, 33:15.0; 75. Piotr Flajszer, Kennesaw St., 33:15.0; 76. Josiah Lagat, Morehouse, 33:15.4; 77. Andy Elvester, Alas. Anchorage, 33:15.5; 78. Justin Gindlesperger, Shippensburg, 33:15.9; 79. Nate Jenkins, Mass.-Lowell, 33:16.2; 80. Darryl Brown, East Stroudsburg, 33:17.1.

81. Alan Heincker, Truman, 33:18.3; 82. Tobias Schwoerer, Alas. Anchorage, 33:18.8; 83. Matthew Laye, UC Davis, 33:19.4; 84. Randall Scherer, Hillsdale, 33:20.2; 85. Pat Boyle, Truman, 33:20.6; 86. Eric Dehner, Adams St., 33:23.8; 87. Todd Worcester, Fort Hays St., 33:25.7; 88. Jim Kastrenos, Bentley, 33:27.3; 89. Kyle Fujimoto, Hillsdale, 33:29.0; 90. Kennedy Kitur, Kennesaw St., 33:29.5.

91. Dave Ross, Grand Valley St., 33:30.3; 92. Kevin Bjerke, South Dakota St., 33:31.4; 93. Anthony Turgeon, South Dakota, 33:32.6; 94. Mario Fraioli, Stonehill, 33:33.5; 95. Steve Pizzulli, Millersville, 33:33.9; 96. Brad Regan, Adams St., 33:35.1; 97. Stephen Fairclough, UC Davis, 33:35.2; 98. Elias Gonzalez, Tampa, 33:36.0; 99. Charles-Mic Berg, Hillsdale, 33:36.9; 100. Joey Byrne, Southern Ind., 33:37.2.

101. Martin Corona, Tex. A&M-Kingsville, 33:40.4; 102. Mike Killam, Bentley, 33:40.8; 103. Tim Nichols, Grand Valley St., 33:41.4; 104. Nat Wibberley, Edinboro, 33:42.0; 105. Craig Rhoads, Mo. Southern St., 33:43.2; 106. Greg Mason, Kennesaw St., 33:43.8; 107. Matt Fouts, Fort Hays St., 33:44.0; 108. Richard Moore, Wheeling Jesuit, 33:44.3; 109. Scott Ellwanger, South Dakota, 33:45.1; 110. Vernon Ruiz, Cal St. Chico, 33:45.2.

111. Leif Kennedy, Central Mo. St., 33:46.0; 112. Andy Person, Truman, 33:46.4; 113. John Kuehn, UC Davis, 33:49.3; 114. Scott Wietecha, Harding, 33:49.8; 115. Mike Steele, South Dakota St., 33:50.3; 116. Jari Venalainen, Kennesaw St., 33:51.5; 117. Justin Perez, Hillsdale, 33:52.0; 118. Ben Watson, Grand Valley St., 33:53.6; 119. Brad Peter, Truman, 33:56.4; 120. Ryan Coon, Edinboro, 33:57.2.

121. Justin Rau, UC Davis, 33:58.8; 122. Craig Eckstein, Mars Hill, 33:59.3; 123. John Somers, Shippensburg, 34:03.1; 124. Mike Nelson, Truman, 34:03.7; 125. Todd List, Alas. Anchorage, 34:03.8; 126. Joel Martinez, Cal St. Chico, 34:06.0; 127. Jared Fox, Fort Hays St., 34:08.9; 128. Shane Land, Central Mo. St., 34:10.0; 129. Jared Lowry, Edinboro, 34:10.6; 130. Adam Moos, Fort Hays St., 34:12.7.

131. Brian Lankiewicz, Mass.-Lowell, 34:13.5; 132. Landon Taylor, Kennesaw St., 34:14.1; 133. Jim Benchich, Millersville, 34:15.4; 134. Timothy Townsend, Mars Hill, 34:16.2; 135. Albert Mokaya, Kennesaw St., 34:17.7; 136. Brad Cole, Fort Hays St., 34:18.9; 137. Andy Nelson, South Dakota, 34:19.7; 138. Ryan Agnew, Bentley, 34:23.5; 139. Larry Marshall, St. Augustine's, 34:23.7; 140. Lou Raffetto, Bentley, 34:23.9.

141. Jeremy Houseman, Millersville, 34:26.8. 142. Bret Fransen, South Dakota, 34:30.0; 143. Nate Normandin, Alas. Anchorage, 34:33.3; 144. Harvey Coble, South Dakota, 34:36.8; 145. Donald Rich, Shippensburg, 34:37.7; 146. Daniel Amick, Mars Hill, 34:38.5; 147. Matt Houseman, Millersville, 34:39.7; 148. Paul Koehler, Mo. Southern St., 34:40.1; 149. Aaron Wells, Truman, 34:40.9; 150. Joe Janke, Edinboro, 34:42.6.

151. Seth Folkertsma, Hillsdale, 34:48.4; 152. Kyle Hardenbrook, Shippensburg, 34:50.6; 153. Ken DiMarzio, Millersville, 34:54.2; 154. Chris Cannon, Alas. Anchorage, 34:55.2; 155. Matt Merrigan, Central Mo. St., 34:56.0; 156. Chris Hiatt, Pfeiffer, 34:58.5; 157. Brad Malay, Southern Conn. St., 35:01.5; 158. Tim Cron, Edinboro, 35:06.5; 159. Jonathan Dalby, Central Mo. St., 35:16.0; 160. Shawn Williams, North Fla., 35:17.9.

161. Ezekiel Koech, Harding, 35:19.5; 162. Terrance Lillicrapp, Shippensburg, 35:23.9; 163. Ryan Spinney, Bentley, 35:25.6; 164. Michael Sutter, Mo. Southern St., 35:26.9; 165. Ryan Willis, Catawba, 35:27.6; 166. Wayne Nassis, North Fla., 35:29.5; 167. Joseph Breisch, Shippensburg, 35:29.9; 168. Aaron Fitzgerald, Central Mo. St., 35:42.1; 169. Alhaji Alhassan, St. Augustine's, 35:44.3; 170. Chris O'Conner, Central Mo. St., 35:44.8.

171. James Thompson, Mars Hill, 35:45.6; 172. Rocky Oakes, Mars Hill, 35:49.6; 173. Dave O'Grady, Bentley, 35:51.6; 174. Christian Rischke, Mars Hill, 35:59.1; 175. Zach Starr, North Fla., 36:19.2; 176. Anthony Vitale, Bentley, 36:19.2; 177. Ben Collins, Harding, 36:26.2; 178. Patrick Casstevens, Pfeiffer, 36:38.1; 179. Ronnie LaGuerre, North Fla., 36:39.9; 180. Jason Powers, North Fla., 37:00.6.

181. Chad Casstevens, Pfeiffer, 37:15.7; 182. Steven Pearce, Mars Hill, 37:26.5; 183. Michael Whitley, Pfeiffer, 37:30.6; 184. Justin Sink, Pfeiffer, 37:55.4; 185. Chris Lamperski, Pfeiffer, 37:55.6; 186. Joshua Pinyan, Pfeiffer, 40:46.0 .