The SIU cross-country team saw its first action of the season Friday in an intrasquad meet.

The Saluki Early Bird started with inclimate weather but cleared up for the race.

Sophomore Sadie Darnell won the 4k for the women’s team with her finishing time of 14 minutes and 54 seconds. Darnell’s time was just 10 seconds ahead of second-place freshman runner Kirsten Levi. Sophomores Tori Parry and Jaime Hershfang, third- and fourth-place finishers, completed the race at 15:07.8 and 15:50.4 respectively.

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Junior runner Jacqueline Lintzenich said she is now prepared for the season ahead.

“Bring it on,” she said. “The team really expects to do big things this year.”

Lintzenich said although she hadn’t raced in a year, she did better than expected.

Unattached freshman Brandon Shemonia won the men’s 4k race at 12:24.9. Freshman Oscar Medina finished at a close second with 12:25.1. The third- and fourth-place finishes were also close as sophomore runner Nick Schrader and freshman Juan Carrera finished with times of 12:25.3 and 12:25.5 respectively.

Schrader said the race was a good start to the season.

“It was good to get the rust off my legs,” he said. “We should be ready for Eastern.”

Sophomore runner Cole Allison, fifth-place finisher, said the race gave him an opportunity to see how fit he was.

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“It was nothing challenging. I just had to get it done,” Allison said. “It was like a fast workout.”

Allison said this race will get him back into the right racing mentality.

Unattached freshman Alex Chavez said he felt as good about the race as he could want.

“I did pretty good out there today, I’m just glad it didn’t rain,” he said.

The Saluki cross-country team will travel to Charleston for the Walt Crawford Open Friday.