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Gonzaga University's Black squad was the clear winner of last weekend's ROTC Ranger Challenge, but the battles for second, third and fourth were painfully close.

The University of Montana's Maroon squad - its top-qualified cadets - placed third behind the Montana State University Bobcats. The scoring system was complicated, but it works out like this. If Gonzaga Black got 100 points for winning, MSU got 91.1 points and UM Maroon got 90.5 points. UM's Silver team was fourth with 88.4 points.

UM's top team was tied for first place through most of the first day's events. And it won the written land navigation and weapons assembly competitions, while UM Silver had a perfect score to win the field orienteering event. Gonzaga Black won the physical fitness, rope bridge and Sunday's 10-kilometer "ruck march."

Several experienced officers judging the Ranger Challenge predicted the ruck march would be the deciding factor. Gonzaga Black's nine cadets hauled their 45-pound packs all 10 kilometers through Lubrecht Forest in 1:05:42. MSU came in second at 1:13:26, while the University of Alaska took third at 1:15:31.

UM's squads were slowed by injuries in the ruck run, turning in times of 1:17:08 (Silver) and 1:20:02 (Maroon) for fifth and sixth place, respectively. Squad members must stay within a 20-meter grouping and finish together to qualify.

Other teams finishing order included:

Gonzaga Black: First place, 2,184 points

MSU: Second place, 1,990 points

UM Maroon: Third place, 1,976 points

UM Silver: Fourth place, 1,932 points

University of Alaska: Fifth place, 1,747 points

Brigham Young University-Idaho Blue: Sixth place, 1,714 points

Gonzaga Gold: Seventh place, 1,708 points

Idaho State University: Eighth place, 1,179 points

Brigham Young University-Idaho White: Ninth place, 1,107 points

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