By KYLE ROBERTS

Sports Writer

The Bulldog cross country team had its 2004 season opening event in a dual meet with the University of Louisiana-Monroe and Centenary on Friday at the Pine Hills Golf Course in Calhoun.

Tech defeated Centenary but fell short to UL-Monroe while running a young squad, said track and field head coach Gary Stanley.

"We ran five freshmen and one sophomore and had to hold senior Stefan Malmquist out," Stanley said. "To say that we're young is an understatement."

Malmquist sat out this weekend to adjust to the weather change from visiting his home in Sweden for three months, and Tech ran five freshmen with the lone sophomore being Jeremy Cobb.

Jessie Petrus had Tech's best time with 22-minutes, 11 seconds for a fourth-place finish on the four mile course, and Samuel Karanja placed fifth with 22:25, while Cobb placed sixth with 22:26.

Kinsey Dinnel finished with a time of 22:41 for eighth place, and Nathan Davis placed ninth with a time of 23:07 before Zach Schuler finished tenth with a time of 23:11.

The Bulldogs will host the Tech Invitational this weekend at Lincoln Parish Park.

"It's hard to tell right now how good we are," Stanley said. "I do know that I'm looking forward to see how these guys develop this year."