WATERLOO - The year might change, but the end result at the Region XI Cross Country Championships continues to remain the same.
Iowa Central swept both the men's and women's team titles for the ninth consecutive season, with the women extending their streak to 18 years in a row finishing on top.
Aspel Kiprob denied Kelvin Bungei a repeat, finishing first in the men's race in a time of 23:53. The freshman set a personal record, as did Bungei, who was the runner-up in 23:56. Bungei also won the national title last fall.
Kiprob's time is the second-fastest in program history, with Bungei clocking the third-fastest. Kiprob also broke the Region XI meet record, which was set in 2018 by former Triton Ezekiel Kipchirchir.
Zander Cobb was fifth with Hunter Klimek placing eighth, Yared Kidane ninth, Brady Hogan 13th and Robin Aguilar-Gonzalez 16th. Iowa Central has won 15 men's team titles over the last 18 years, not competing in the three other years that the event was held.
"The men ran like they have all year," Iowa Central head coach Dee Brown said. "We are fortunate to be very strong at the top with Aspel and Kelvin pushing each other weekly. Zander was a great No. 3 as usual - the best No. 3 runner in the NJCAA. Hunter, Yared, Brady and Robin all did what we needed them to do to pull off the win.
"A majority of our team ran their season-best times when it mattered most, even though a region championship isn't necessarily about times, it is about how you place. They fought hard and did what was expected from our first guy to our last."
On the women's side, Chloe Garcia Grafing was the runner-up in a time of 18:13 with Taylor McCreedy placing fourth, Zinash Valen sixth, Shaunti Longfellow eighth, Mercy Jepngetich ninth, Josie Stackis 11th and Katie Miron 12th.
Garcia Grafing's time is the 19th-fastest in school history.
"Aside from everyone doing exactly what we had planned on paper, two things went very well for us," Brown said. "We knew going in this would be a very close battle with Iowa Western. Our No. 2 runner, Taylor McCreedy, dropped a minute off her 5km time from earlier this season and competed well. Beyond that, we knew we had to keep our pack of ladies tight and up towards the front. They did an exceptional job of sticking together and working together. When you put seven runners ahead of your nearest competition's fifth runner, you are hard to beat.
"I am exceptionally proud of both teams. It was a battle as they executed their race plans and reached their goals just as our training program was designed to do."
The Triton men had 25 points followed by Iowa Western in second with 34 and Indian Hills in third with 69. The Iowa Central women finished with 29 points, four ahead of Iowa Western.
Iowa Central will now turn its attention to November 13 and the NJCAA Div. I Championships in Richmond, Virginia. The Triton men won the national title a year ago while the women were champions two seasons ago but forced to miss 2021 due to COVID-19.
In the Div. II portion of the meet, North Iowa Area's Melvin Kipkemboi was first to lead the Trojans to team gold while teammate Sarah Bertry won the women's race with Hawkeye finishing first overall.
-By Dana Becker