Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Paige Condon of Manson Northwest Webster won the girls individual crown on Saturday in Pocahontas.

POCAHONTAS — The St. Edmond boys cross country team captured top honors here on Saturday afternoon at the Pocahontas Area Invitational.

The Gaels finished with 82 points, 11 ahead of Pocahontas Area. Manson Northwest Webster was fourth and South Central Calhoun finished fifth.

“It was a total team effort,” SEHS head coach Mike Szalat said. “I thought our depth on both sides really showed through, especially by winning the junior varsity races because those are ran at the same time as varsity.

“It was pretty impressive to see our kids run in a pack like they did.”

Spencer Moon was crowned the individual champion, coming home in 16:54. He topped Sioux Central’s Dawson Hatch by almost a full minute.

For St. Edmond, Jed Tracy placed fourth overall in 18:03, with Grant Heldorfer finishing ninth, Ryan Duckett 18th and Parker Oswald 19th.

“I think this was a break-through meet for Grant,” Szalat said. “He had a good time and a good place, and I think he found another level he maybe didn’t realize he had.”

Coledon Bethel finished fifth for Southeast Valley, Cruz Bowman of Emmetsburg was sixth, Chris Meyer from Pocahontas Area placed eighth, West Bend-Mallard’s Thomas Fehr was 11th and Brayden Pritchard of Manson Northwest Webster was 12th.

Emmetsburg was the winner on the girls side, finishing with 73 points. The Gaels placed second with 77 and Ridge View was third.

Paige Condon, a freshman from Manson Northwest Webster, won the individual race in 20:39, with Abby Landwehr from St. Edmond finishing third. Maddie Moline, Condon’s MNW teammate, was fourth.

Raven Brown of Emmetsburg finished fifth, Annika Duitscher of Pocahontas Area was sixth, Alli True from Southeast Valley was 10th and Alexia Nelson 13th for South Central Calhoun.

Along with Landwehr’s strong finish for the Gaels, Aubrey Bemrich was 11th, Caroline Shelly placed 21st and Kelli Kersten was 22nd.

“Aubrey had a good race and Caroline was right there with it for much of it,” Szalat said. “Olivia Kolacia also had a good day. She’s just been a steady kid for us who is very vital to our team and what we are doing.”

Szalat also wanted to recognized Pocahontas Area athletic director Brandon Ruffridge, saying “I’m so appreciative of Brandon for getting us in this meet. I know a lot of teams wanted in to makeup for lost meets, and he ran a great event.”

St. Edmond returns to action Thursday at the Fort Dodge Invitational.

Leah Johnson was the winner in the junior varsity meet for St. Edmond, with Erin Flattery placing second and Gracie Harvey third.

Gael Connor Bocken captured the JV boys race and Jackson Kochendorfer was seventh overall. The Gael JV boys took first place with 20 team points.