COLUMBIA — A state medal.

That was the goal for Owensville Dutchgirl cross country senior Mekayla Gibson Thursday in the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Cross Country Championships in Columbia.

Held at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course, racing was spread out over three days to comply with crowd size restrictions set by the Boone County Health Department.

Kicking off the first day of racing in Columbia was the Class 3 girls.

Getting off to a good start, Gibson held her own in the top 10 throughout the majority of the race.

Hanging with a pack of about six runners, Gibson was one of just nine harriers to finish the Class 3 girls race in less than 20 minutes.

Ending her high school cross country career at state, the Dutchgirl senior earned All-State honors and a medal for her eighth-place finish in 19:46.9.

“I was happy with how I raced in my final high school race,” Gibson said after competing against nearly 160 runners in the Class 3 girls race.

Starting in the top 10 and staying there showed Gibson’s training throughout her senior season paid off.

“I’m proud of how Mekayla ran her race today sticking with the pack just behind the leaders throughout the race,” OHS head cross country coach Matt Candrl said. “She ran some gutsy and strategic races throughout her seniors season.”

Gibson was not the only All-State cross country runner from Gasconade County.

Hermann junior Morgan Miller grabbed one of the final medals sneaking inside the top 25 with a 24th-place time of 20:56.7.

As a team, Hermann’s Lady Bearcats placed ninth with a score of 197 points putting them four points out of eighth place in the Class 3 girls team standings.

Next on the course were the Class 3 boys from Gans Creek.

Owensville had a pair of Dutchmen representing the orange and black in senior Cameron O’Neal and junior Harm Rademacher.

O’Neal was fresh off a sixth-place finish at districts while Rademacher made a big move at the end of his district race to grab the 15th and final state qualifying spot from Class 3, District 4.

Finishing their respective seasons on the state course at Gans Creek. O’Neal placed near the middle of the pack with an 84th-place time of 18:32.5.

Battling his way through the course, Rademacher ended his junior season placing 124th in a time of 19:23.8.

“I’m proud of how both our boys ran their state races today,” Candrl said. “Cam got boxed in and worked his way into the middle of the pack while Harm dropped 18 seconds off his state time from last year.”