BETHLEHEM, Pa.--The Hood College men's cross country team wrapped up the 2009 season Saturday the NCAA Mid-East Regionals hosted by Lehigh University.

Hood placed 36th out of 51 teams at the meet. Senior William Andrews was Hood's top finisher in 27:43.1, good for 129th out of 314 competitors in the 8,000-meter race. Brett Shelley crossed the tape in 28:12.2 while Blair Ames ran No. 3 for Hood in 29:30.9. Brendan Greenlees (30:09.9) and Dave Gudeman (30:29.5) rounded out the Blazer contingent.

Andrews' time and place marked all-time bests at the regional championships. His time was also the fourth-fastest in program history. “William saved his best for last," said head coach Brent Ayer. "All three faster times he ran at Salisbury which is a pancake flat race course. This one had some mud and some hills and is more representative of cross country. I think this was his finest race.”

Shelley ran the ninth-fastest time in program history. The average across the Blazers' top five was 29:04.7, the fastest in the seven years Hood College has contested the NCAA Regionals.

“This is a tough, tough regional,” Ayer observed. “Some nationally ranked teams are going to be sitting at home because they couldn’t qualify out of this meet. We beat some teams we have never beaten before and chased some other programs around.”

Greenlees competed in his 34th cross country meet in a Hood College uniform, the most ever for the men’s program. Ames ran his 32nd race (second in program history) and Andrews completed his 30th race (fourth overall).

“These guys have been the cornerstone of the program for four years,” Ayer concluded. “They have represented the program well and we are going to miss them.”

Allegheny College won the regional and boasted the top two individual finishers. Chris Marker set the pace in 24:54.3.