COLUMBIA — Kicking off two days of cross country action during the 2025 Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Cross Country Championships on the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Matt Candrl’s Owensville Dutchmen harriers and Dutchgirl senior Hannah Gehlert looked to leave central Missouri with medals and memories.

Starting Friday morning with the Class 3 Boys Race, Dutchmen junior Zach Holtmeyer was looking to equal 2016 Owensville High School (OHS) graduate Carter Brocato with his third state medal for a top-30 finish.

In 8th place at the one-kilometer split, Holtmeyer briefly dropped out of the top 10 before racing his way back into ninth at the 4K split.

Able to stay in the top 10 through the finish line, Holtmeyer earned All-State honors for the third time in his OHS Cross Country career with a ninth-place time of 16:14.40.

That time also broke the school record from when Carter ran at state his senior year.

“Zach has done his homework and it is awesome to see pay off in a big way breaking the school record at the state meet,” Candrl said.

Two more Dutchmen juniors also had huge improvements throughout their races at state.

Drake Dietrich was 114th at the 1K split before moving through the field and into 82nd place at the finish line with a time of 17:53.20.

Cristopher Reyes was right there with Dietrich the entire race.

Reyes was 119th at the 1K split before he eventually maneuvered his way into the top 90 and an 83rd-place time of 17:54.30.

Fellow junior Ty Price also picked up 10 places throughout his state race crossing the finish line in 124th with a time of 18:38.70.

Freshman Grayson Lairmore and sophomore Dylan Dietrich also made huge gains from the start to the finish of their respective races.

In 143rd place at the 1K split, Lairmore wound up crossing the finish line in 128th place with a time of 18:42.60.

Dietrich was 149th at the 1K split before methodically moving up the field crossing the finish line just behind Lairmore in a time of 18:43.70 good for 129th place.

Last on the course for the Dutchmen was freshman Hunter Anderson.

Sitting in 153rd place at the 1K split, Anderson was as high as 148th at the 4K split before crossing the finish line in a time of 19:26.60 good for 151st place.

“Seeing all of guys achieve PRs (personal records) at the state meet is a big accomplishment,” Candrl said. “With all of our guys returning in addition to a solid group of eighth graders coming into high school next year, I’m excited about the potential we have to be really successful next fall.

Outside the top 30 the majority of her race, Gehlert knew she had work to do in order to end her OHS cross country career with a Missouri-shaped medal around her neck.

Starting out in 32nd at the 1K split, Gehlert moved into 29th at the 3K split before falling back into 31st with one kilometer to go.

Able to pass seven runners in the final stretch of the race, Gehlert capped an outstanding OHS cross country career with a 24th-place time of 20:29.80 giving her an individual state medal after helping her Dutchgirl teammates last fall place third in Class 3.

“I’ve been truly blessed over the years,” Gehlert said. “I could not have done anything without God and I know he has blessed me with my running abilities.”

Gehlert was not the only Four Rivers Conference (FRC) athlete in the Class 3 Girls top 30.

Sullivan Lady Eagle sophomore Vanessa Nolie also placed 21st in a time of 20:19.90.

Gehlert and Nolie have pushed each other throughout the fall.

“It was awesome to see both of us get on the medal stand,” Gehlert said. “I’ve always tried to run with her during all my races and I knew if I wanted a state medal, I had to take off when she did during the final kilometer.”