PRINCESS ANNE, Md. – Norfolk State's Vincent Rono (Bomet, Kenya) won the individual title as the Spartan men's cross country team earned a second-place finish at its season-opening event, the Maryland Eastern Shore Lid-Lifter on Saturday morning.
 
Rono finished the 8,000-meter course in 25 minutes, 30.19 seconds. He was one of three Spartan men to finish in the top four as NSU amassed 33 points, second only to Navy's 28. Host UMES placed third with 87 points, and Hampton was fourth with 93.
 
Junior Amos Kipkosgei (Eldoret, Kenya) came in third (25:43.68) and classmate Philemon Kimutai (Eldoret, Kenya) was fourth (25:48.63).
 
Rounding out the top five for the Spartans was junior Josef Tessema (Springfield, Va.) in 11th place (26:12.44) and sophomore Kameron George (Bronx, N.Y.) in 24th (27:36.51).
 
The Spartans have next week off before participating in the Lou Onesty Invitational hosted by the University of Virginia on Sept. 18.