LINN — Eying a return trip to this year’s Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Cross Country Championships at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Keely Uthlaut’s Hermann Lady Bearcats and Bearcats had to finish in the top four of their respective team standings during the MSHSAA Class 2, District 3 meet held over the weekend throughout the Osage County R-2 campus in Linn.

Entering the varsity boys race as the defending district champion, Hermann senior Nolan Kopp was in the hunt with three other seniors in Paris’ Landen Chapman, Elsberry’s Jedidiah Heras and Clark County’s Mason McDaniel.

Those four runners were together for most of the first half of the race before Chapman broke away late to claim an individual district title in a first-place time of 16:21.00.

Kopp ended up placing fourth in 17:01.40 behind Heras (2nd, 16:30.20) and McDaniel (16:36.20).

Having five Bearcats earn top-30 honors helped Hermann top the varsity boys team standings with 84 points edging out Fatima (87), South Shelby (143) and Paris (150) among the top-four teams qualifying for state.

“It was awesome to see five of our guys earn individual All-District honors helping us hold off a solid Fatima team for a district title,” Uthlaut said.

Bearcats following Kopp in the top 30 included Ryker Ash (13th, 18:02.60), Nathan Menke (17th, 18:14.00), Eric Chorley (28th, 18:36.40) and CJ Mires (29th, 18:37.60).

Chase Branson was less than a second from making it six All-District Bearcats posting a 32nd-place time of 18:40.70.

Seeing three Lady Bearcats place in the top 18, Hermann punched their team ticket back to Columbia with a fourth-place team total of 119 points behind Monroe City (84), Whitfield (91) and Fatima (94).

Cecilia Shepard led Hermann’s All-District trio with a 13th-place time of 22:01.40 followed by Alaina Heaney (16th, 22:23.10) and Lorena Uthlaut (18th, 22:37.20).

Also figuring in the team scoring for the Lady Bearcats were Eileen Swofford (44th, 24:01.30), Fynnlee Riffle (50th, 24:26.70), Lillian Vogelsang (56th, 24:47.10) and Elaina Uthlaut (59th, 25:02.40).

“I’m so proud of our girls for finding a way into the top four as a team to earn a return trip to state,” Coach Uthlaut said.

Hermann’s Bearcats will hit the Gans Creek Cross Country Course first Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m., in the Class 2 Boys Race followed at 11:45 a.m., by their Lady Bearcat counterparts in the Class 2 Girls Race.