STEVENSON, Md. – The Messiah Men's Cross Country team is ready for the 2026 Middle Atlantic Conference Championship Meet hosted by Stevenson University at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31. The Falcons have been selected to finish second in the Pre-Championship Coaches Poll, behind defending champion Lebanon Valley College. See below for a preview of the upcoming Championship.
Falcons Ready to Race
Each conference team can enter 15 runners, with a final 12 declared the day of competition. The Falcons have entered 14 runners as eligible to compete in Saturday's action.
Leading the Falcons is junior
Kaleb Kabakjian, a regular contender for the win at the end of races. Kabakjian opened the season with a personal best time at the 6k distance of 19:16.8 at the Galen Piper Challenge on Sept. 4. Kabakjian then earned the top spot at the MAC Preview on Sept. 18 with a time of 26:38.9 before finishing third at the Lock Haven Regional Preview on Sept. 26 with a time of 24:56.3. He concluded the regular season with a time of 24:51.1 at the Roanoke South Region Showdown, finishing in the top spot.
After earning Rookie of the Year honors at last year's MAC Championship,
Samuel Hennett has continued his success for the Falcons, often claiming the second finishing spot behind Kabakjian. Hennett opened the season with a personal best time of 19:36.1 at the 6k distance before finishing second at the MAC Preview in a time of 26:43.3 after running much of the race with Kabakjian. At the Lock Haven Regional Preview, Hennett clocked a personal best time of 25:42.3 before finishing 10
th at the Roanoke South Regional Preview on Oct. 17 to conclude the regular season.
Josiah Carnwath has put together a strong senior campaign, securing personal best times at both the 6k and 8k distances this season. In the 6k race at the Galen Piper Challenge to open the season on Sept. 4, Carnwath finished in a time of 20:16.7 to set a new personal best. On Sept. 18 at the MAC Preview, Carnwath finished 4
th with a time of 27:20.4 before setting a new best at the 8k distance on Sept. 26 with a time of 25:57.3 at the Lock Haven Regional Preview.
Micah Kao has found a groove this season as a scoring member of the Falcons, opening his season with a personal best 6k time of 20:2.4 at the Sept. 4 Galen Piper Challenge. Kao then earned a fifth-place finish at the MAC Preview on Sept. 18 before clocking a personal best time of 26:14.2 at the Roanoke South Region Showdown on Oct. 17 to conclude the regular season.
Junior
Ryan Klemick has put together a strong season, opening with a personal best time of 20:37.9 at the 6k distance at the Galen Piper Challenge on Sept. 4. Klemick finished sixth at the MAC Preview on Sept. 18 before turning in a personal best time of 26:57.3 at the Roanoke South Region Showdown to conclude the regular season on Oct. 17. Freshman
Dante Checco competed strong at the MAC Preview on Sept. 18, finishing seventh in his debut race for the Falcons.
Bradley Kreider has found himself settled into a finishing spot in the top pack of Falcons throughout the season, beginning with a personal best time at the 6k distance of 21:34.2 on Sept. 4 at the Galen Piper Challenge. Kreider finished 10
th at the MAC Preview on Sept. 18 before running a personal best time of 26:51. 5 at the Roanoke South Region Showdown on Oct. 17.
Freshman
Caden Sarkett looks to make an impact for Messiah, clocking a time of 28:19.6 to finish 15
th at the MAC Preview before registering a personal best time of 27:03.0 at the Lock Haven Regional Preview on Sept. 26.
Samuel Meyer has continued to improve in his sophomore campaign, clocking a personal best time of 21:30.1 at the 6k distance at the Galen Piper Challenge on Sept. 4 before ending the regular season with a personal best time of 27:08.4 at the 8k distance at the Roanoke South Region Showdown on Oct. 17.
Eli McClymont looks to make an impact in his first cross country championship with the Falcons after finishing 20
th at the MAC Preview on Sept. 18 and registering a personal best time of 26:37.3 at the Lock Haven Regional Preview on Sept. 26.
Freshman
Matthew Yost finished in 28
th at the MAC Preview on Sept. 18 but will look to improve upon that finish at the championship after running a personal best time of 26:19.8 at the Roanoke South Region Showdown on Oct. 17 to conclude the regular season.
Jackson Kay has run a smooth sophomore campaign for the Falcons, turning in a pair of finishes in the low 27s to conclude the regular season.
Burke Heltzel has steadily improved his times throughout his freshman campaign, most recently clocking a personal best time of 26:39.4 at the Roanoke South Region Showdown on Oct. 17 to conclude the regular season. Fellow freshman
Nathan Hutchinson also clocked a personal best time at the Oct. 17 Roanoke South Region Showdown, crossing the line in a time of 26:40.4.
