LINN — Another week of practice.

That was the goal Saturday afternoon for Owensville High School’s Dutchmen and Dutchgirl cross country runners.

In order to earn it, they needed to finish individually in the top 30 or in the top four as a team during the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Class 3, District 3 Cross Country Meet held in Linn at the Osage County Fairgrounds.

In the first of six races that day, the Class 3 boys took their turn on the course.

Earning All-FRC honors nearly two weeks ago at New Haven, junior Lucas Morgan looked to add to his recent success with a district medal and a trip to state.

Able to stay in the top 30 the entire race, Morgan punched his ticket to state this weekend at the Gans Creek Cross Country course in Columbia following his 23rd-place finish in a time of 18:13.1

“Lucas has come on strong over the last couple of weeks,” OHS head cross country coach Matt Candrl said. “He has done his homework and now he will get his first crack at the state meet.”

Two other area runners in St. Clair senior Case Busse (20th) and Fatima freshman Wyatt Gabelsberger (22nd) will join Morgan representing the area this weekend at the MSHSAA Cross Country Championships in Columbia.

Helping the Dutchmen place 10th as a team were Felix Guerrero (38th, 18:49.4), Harm Rademacher (48th, 18:58.6), Trevor Shockley (53rd, 19:01.3), Gabe Soest (75th, 19:40.3), Freddy Zheng (84th, 19:52.2) and Noah Holtmeyer (95th, 20:14.1).

“Not having Jacob Breedlove here due to sickness hurt us today,” Candrl said. “I am proud of our guys that stepped up and ran the best that they could on a tough, challenging course.”

For Rademacher and Zheng, it was the final cross country race in Owensville High School orange and black.

“Harm and Freddy have provided outstanding leadership this year as seniors helping their underclassmen teammates learn the ropes of high school cross country,” Candrl said.

Next on the course were the Class 3 girls.

Fresh off winning an individual Four Rivers Conference (FRC) title, freshman Ilene Limberg was looking to add to her extensive collection of medals acquired during her first season of high school cross country.

Staying within the top 10 virtually the entire race, Limberg secured her spot in the upcoming Class 3 Girls race at Saturday’s MSHSAA Cross Country Championships in Columbia with an eighth-place time of 20:02.0.

“Ilene just went out there and did what she has done all season,” Candrl said. “She has just gone into each race and went after it.”

Limberg will join Morgan competing in their respective Class 3 races early Saturday afternoon in Columbia.

Other area Class 3 girls runners that will join Limberg at state on Saturday will be Fatima sophomore Lauren Berhorst (9th), Fatima junior Sarah Groene (21st), St. Clair freshman Brooklyn Cannon (23rd) and Fatima junior Emma Bower (25th).

Other Dutchgirls helping OHS to an eighth-place team finish Saturday included Abbie Gibson (48th, 23:46.0), Kyah Weirich (50th, 23:53.8), Lauren Kandlbinder (52nd, 23:57.1), Peyton Weinland (62nd, 24:34.8), Saylor Richardson (72nd, 25:12.0) and Hayden Loeb (78th, 25:52.3).

For Weirich and Loeb, it marked their final cross country races in OHS orange and black.

“Kyah and Hayden have consistently worked hard at being leaders of the team showing the underclassmen what they need to do in order to be successful,” Candrl said.

With the FRC titles from both JV and middle school squads, there’s no doubt the future of the OHS Cross Country program is looking like a bright one.