NEW HAVEN — After nearly a month of running the streets of Owensville, cross country teams coached by Matt Candrl, Dave Koppelmann and Tyler Ahring finally got to open their season over the weekend at the New Haven Invitational.

In the first of six races Saturday morning, OMS eighth-grader Ilene Limberg looked to pick up right where she left off after winning a Four Rivers Conference (FRC) individual title last fall.

Leading the majority of the two-mile race, Limberg posted a first-place time of 13:34.41 seconds ahead of Union’s Viola Johanson (13:38.88).

OMS Dutchgirls joining Limberg in the top 10 earning a medal were Lauren Kandlbinder (5th, 15:45.58) and Abbie Gibson (9th, 16:21.18).

Runners helping the Dutchgirls (43) edge Hermann (45) for the team title included Elaina Lebish (16th, 18:56.82), Lorelai McDaniel (28th, 23:41.82) and Arianna Booker (31st, 30:59.38).

Next on the course were Ahring’s OMS Dutchmen.

In spite of no medals, Owensville’s first four runners posted top-20 finishes led by Xavier Bayless’ 13th-place time of 14:36.77.

Also in the top 20 for the OMS Dutchmen were Corbyn Hamann (14th, 14:40.77), Landon Kramme (18th, 15:17.64) and Brodie Lairmore (19th, 15:25.54).

Also helping the OMS Dutchmen (53) to a third-place team finish behind New Bloomfield (35) and Union (40) were Nick Abel (22nd, 15:33.39), Drew Chapman (25th, 15:53.39) and Everett Hawkins (36th, 17:51.08).

“I’m so proud of how all of our runners competed today,” Ahring said. “It was awesome to see the girls top the team standings and our guys place third.”

Kicking off the high school portion of racing from New Haven was the junior varsity girls.

Hayden Loeb cracked the top 10 with a ninth-place time of 29:19.69 good for Owensville’s lone medal in the race.

“Hayden Loeb ran an awesome race,” Candrl said. “She did a good job of pushing throughout the race. She performed at a high level and led the girls on the course.”

Also helping the JV Dutchgirls (47) finish behind St. Dominic (16) in the team standings were Libby Korman (17th, 31:13.82), Katelyn Holtzer (18th, 31:49.40), Khloe McCormick (20th, 32:46.82), Peyton Weiland (22nd, 33:27.19) and Cassidy Gooch (38:29.88).

“Libby (Korman) had a good kick at the end, she just needed to work the middle of the course a little better,” Candrl said.

Placing sixth out of 10 teams, Owensville’s (139) varsity Dutchgirls were paced by senior Mekayla Gibson’s fifth-place time of 20:50.00.

Mekayla (Gibson) ran really well to earn a medal,” Candrl said.

Other varsity Dutchgirls helping OHS to their sixth-place team finish were Katie Candrl (33rd, 24:55.08), Kate Angell (34th, 24:57.08), Kyah Weirich (38th, 25:03.52), Julianna Watkins (65th, 28:41.18) and Isabelle Bruckerhoff (71st, 29:38.44).

“We’ve got to get the gap closed on the girls side from our first runner to our fifth runner,” Candrl said.

Switching back to the boy’s side of the ledger, Owensville’s JV Dutchmen (71) placed third as a team behind Father Tolton (24) and Hermann (44).

Medalists leading the JV Dutchmen were Noah Holtmeyer (11th, 21:53.70) and Tristan Davis (14th, 22:18.85).

Tristan (Davis) and Noah (Holtmeyer) did a great job in spite of not being able to practice much this week,” Candrl said.

JV Dutchmen also racing at New Haven were Sam Hoffman (33rd, 25:53.71), Sam Nicks (40th, 26:31.55), Sean Trenton-Million (41st, 27:00.70), Jayden Barnett (42nd, 27:17.77) and Jim Jenkins (51st, 31:02.95).

Finally in the varsity boy’s race, Candrl’s Dutchmen placed eighth as a team with 170 points led by senior Cameron O’Neal’s 28th-place time of 20:44.63.

Other varsity Dutchmen on the course at New Haven were Harm Rademacher (33rd, 21:09.20), Lucas Morgan (43rd, 21:41.38), Trevor Shockley (45th, 21:55.53), Felix Guerrero (48th, 22:05.67), Freddy Zheng (54th, 22:52.14) and Braedn Stone (61st, 23:57.93).

“We spotted everyone too much in the varsity boy’s race,” Candrl said. “We just have to keep getting better.”

R-2 cross country runners will return to action Saturday in Osage County at the Linn Invitational with racing starting at 9 a.m.