Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Spencer Moon of South Central Calhoun runs earlier in the year at Gowrie.

BOYS

Class 3A

Orr, Engen each finish in Top-15

SPENCER — The Humboldt boys finished fourth here Thursday, just missing out on advancing as a team to the Class 3A state cross country meet.

Quinton Orr is moving on after placing sixth overall for the Wildcats, along with Algona’s Trey Engen, who was eighth.

Gilbert was the overall champion, scoring 28 points, with Sergeant Bluff-Luton and Clear Lake finishing second and third, respectively.

Orr crossed in 16:56 and Engen in 16:59. Gilbert’s Rees Tyler was the individual winner in 16:27.

Humboldt’s Denny Pederson was 18th overall, and Joe Kunert 19th. Webster City’s Tyler Bultena finished 27th.

Class 2A

Moon, Breitsprecher qualify

LAKE CITY — South Central Calhoun’s Spencer Moon won a state qualifying meet title here Thursday, advancing to the Class 2A state cross country meet in the process.

Moon, running on his home course at the Lake City Country Club, clocked a time of 17:25.36, almost five seconds ahead of runner-up Ethan Albright from Okoboji.

Joining Moon will be Southeast Valley’s Patrick Breitsprecher, who placed 14th overall in 18:25.88.

Sheldon was the team champion, with Okoboji and Aplington-Parkersburg also advancing. Clarion-Goldfield/Dows placed fourth overall and South Central Calhoun fifth.

E-Hawk Bowman moves on

ORANGE CITY — Emmetsburg’s Cruz Bowman claimed an individual state cross country spot, placing seventh here on Thursday at a qualifying meet.

Bowman finished in 17:21 for seventh overall.

George-Little Rock/Central Lyon, Sioux Center and Unity Christian were the top team finishers, with Gable Sieperda of G-LR/CL winning the race.

Class 1A

Bauer back to

defend title

EAGLE GROVE — North Union’s Riley Bauer picked up another race title here on Thursday, earning a return trip to the Class 1A state cross country meet.

Bauer, who captured a state title last year at Lakeside Golf Course, finished in 16:12.31 — over 42 seconds ahead of runner-up Sean McDermott of Madrid.

Eagle Grove’s Jon Koester also advanced to state, placing 13th overall in 17:58.

Madrid, South Winneshiek and Ogden were the top squads, with the Eagles placing fifth.

GIRLS

Class 3A

Gidel, Wildcats get chance for redemption

SPENCER — The Humboldt girls will get another crack at the state competition in Class 3A after advancing with a team title here on Thursday at a regional qualifying meet.

Led by Bryce Gidel, the Wildcats finished 22 points ahead of Spencer. Sioux City Heelan grabbed the other automatic team bid.

Gidel finished over 40 seconds ahead of runner-up Amber Aesoph of Heelan, clocking a time of 19:16.34.

Gabby Kent claimed third in 19:59 for Humboldt, with Isabella Luu finishing 12th overall in 20:24.

Lauren Erickson was 19th overall in 21:07 and Elizabeth Hildreth placed 23th in 21:18.

Algona was 10th and Webster City 13th.

Class 2A

PAC advances a pair

LAKE CITY — Pocahontas Area’s Jill Vonnahme and Annika Duitscher placed in the Top-15 here Thursday, earning spots in next Saturday’s state cross country meet.

Vonnahme was the runner-up here in a Class 2A qualifying meet, finishing in 20:09.41. Aplington-Parkersburg’s Sophie Jungling was the individual winner.

Duitscher placed 14th overall in 22:45.

Also advancing was Greene County’s Haley Hall, who placed 12th overall in 22:41.

Shenandoah, Okoboji and Aplington-Parkersburg were the top team finishers, with Pocahontas Area placing fourth.

Emmetsburg earns team spot

ORANGE CITY — The Emmetsburg cross country team is returning to state after placing third in a Class 2A qualifying meet here Thursday.

WC-KP was first with Unity Christian second and the E-Hawks grabbing the final team bid.

Raven Brown led Emmetsburg, finishing fourth overall in 20:38. Gabrielle Janssen was sixth in 20:54 and Hailey Foxhoven 14th in 21:28.

The other counters for the E-Hawks were Isabella Householder (45th) and Raylene Poeppe (61st).

Class 1A

Eagles take second for state bid

EAGLE GROVE — Behind two Top-15 performances, the Eagle Grove girls placed second here Thursday, advancing as a team to the state cross country meet.

South Winneshiek was the overall champion followed by the Eagles and Mason City Newman.

Kaitlin Sampson placed 12th to lead Eagle Grove, crossing home on her home course in 21:46. Teammate Leah Friedl was 15th in 21:55.

Brianna Ell finished 20th, Megan Sampson 25th and Alecia Anderson 50th for the Eagle counters.