FAIRBANKS, Alaska. - For the second time in three days, senior Robert Peterson won the title at the Moda Health Alaska Invitational. Saturday, Peterson completed the short 5K in 15:44.6 for the win.
 
Liam McKay came in third (16:18.0) for the second straight time as the MSU Billings men's cross country team placed second in the team standings during Day 2 at the Westridge Trails course on the campus of Alaska Fairbanks.
 
The Yellowjackets finished with 35 total team points as the Nanooks took the team title with 26 points. Seattle Pacific was third with 73 points.
 
Jorey Egeland finished third for MSUB (8th, 16:28.3), Garrett Love placed fourth (10th, 16:33.9) and Mark Hovland in fifth (13th, 16:39) rounded out the Yellowjacket top-5 finishers.
 
Matt Winter placed 14^th, just behind Hovland, finishing the course in 17:06.9 while Ivan Colmenero placed 23^rd in 17:23.2.
 
Sandwiched between Peterson and McKay was Alex Eckert of Alaska Fairbanks who was a little over 27 seconds behind Peterson at the finish line. The Nanooks placed five men in the top-10 to take the title. For the two races, the UAF team finished with a total of 58 points. MSUB completed the two days with a team total of 59 points, finishing just one point back of the Nanooks for the overall Moda Health Alaska team title.
 
At the halfway mark, Peterson held a comfortable lead through the turn as the senior from Billings maintained a good margin from the rest of the pack. Like Thursday, after the first big turn the Skyview High School graduate began to pull away from the pack, separating himself from the field. Looking relaxed, Peterson stretched out his lead through the rest of the course.
 
The short course was cause for some exciting finishes down the last 200 meters as the middle runners fought to cross the tape. McKay used a heavy kick down the stretch to finish in third place overall. The Yellowjackets next three runners also jockeyed for room down the straightaway as Saturday's race was much more congested in the final minute.
 
The Buzz: With his two titles in Alaska, Robert Peterson was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Athlete of the Week for his performances during the Moda Health Alaska Invitational. The two-time champion finished more than 50 seconds ahead of his competition on Thursday, and more than 27 seconds ahead of the runner-up on Saturday.
 
Next Up: The 'Jackets have a week off before they return to racing. MSU Billings travels to Bozeman, Mont. for the Montana State University Invite on Sept. 19.