Matt Candrl’s Owensville Middle School (OMS) and Owensville High School (OHS) harriers looked to keep as many medals and team plaques as possible during the Owensville Invitational Cross Country meet held last Tuesday throughout the Gasconade County R-2 campus.

Racing began last Tuesday with the middle school girls in which Owensville placed fifth as a team with 117 points behind Pacific (42), Sullivan (76), Rolla (77) and Hermann (80).

Kennedy Reams led the OMS Dutchgirls with a 13th-place time of 15:12.14 followed closely by Jolie Vandegriffe’s 15th-place time of 15:26.24.

Other OMS Dutchgirl harriers helping the orange and black place fifth as a team included Ellie Albright (32nd, 17:15.74), Ella Niederer (40th, 17:56.25), Addi Meyer (43rd, 18:01.08), Allyson Smith (52nd, 19:07.33) and Lilly Kahmke (68th, 25:11.81).

OMS’ Dutchmen placed third as a team with 105 points behind St. James (26) and Rolla (42).

Grayson Lairmore paced the orange and black with a 13th-place time of 12:52.59 followed closely by Robbie Rodriguez’s 14th-place time of 12:55.39.

Also helping OMS’ Dutchmen place third as a team were Max Altemeyer (24th, 13:56.47), Christopher Wehmeyer (31st, 14:23.00), Liam Kramme (37th, 14:37.76), Hunter Anderson (43rd, 14:56.70), Ricky Ringeisen (47th, 15:20.80), Dustin Manson (48th, 15:22.96), Garrett Ringeisen (51st, 15:34.57), Michael Anderson (69th, 16:33.64), Dylan Dietrich (71st, 16:44.00), Seth Mitcham (82nd, 17:42.68) and Logan Hackstedt (100th, 24:59.97).

Junior varsity boys action kicked off the high school portion of racing with Gasconade County schools taking the top two spots in the team standings.

Hermann placed first with 19 team points followed by Owensville with 56 team points.

Three JV Dutchmen earned medals with their top-15 finishes which included Xavier Bayless (7th, 21:45.06), Bryce Kramme (8th, 21:51.15) and Nick Hinson (13th, 22:48.44).

Other JV Dutchmen on their home course included Daimeyn Rogers (18th, 23:56.05), Kien Bayless (21st, 24:42.69), Ethan Blankenship (26th, 29:24.80) and Jayden Stewart (28th, 35:13.01).

Fresh off a team title at Hermann, Candrl’s OHS varsity Dutchgirls made up half of the top eight in the varsity girls race helping them top the team standings with 49 points.

Led by race winner Ilene Limberg’s time of 19:19.51, other varsity Dutchgirl medalists included Abbie Gibson (6th, 21:22.15), Brynn Wright (7th, 21:32.95) and Hannah Gehlert (8th, 21:38.46).

Also on the course for the varsity Dutchgirls were Elaina Lebish (35th, 24:58.89), Leola Hamann (38th, 25:42.59), Arianna Baguio (41st, 25:55.97), Annalise Dryer (52nd, 26:56.50) and Morgen Schmidt (62nd, 29:49.15).

Rounding out the day of racing last Tuesday was the varsity boys.

Owensville’s varsity Dutchmen placed fourth as a team with 101 points behind Pacific (40), Hermann (50) and Rolla (91).

Zach Holtmeyer was the lone medalist for the Dutchmen with a fourth-place time of 17:25.67.

Other varsity Dutchmen on the course for the orange and black were Drake Dietrich (23rd, 19:05.93), Kyle Bollman (26th, 19:15.17), Westin Kramme (31st, 19:32.11) and Christopher Reyes (33rd, (19:34.44).

After competing yesterday (Tuesday) in St. Clair at the annual Four Rivers Conference (FRC) cross country meet, Candrl’s varsity harriers will return to action on Saturday, Nov. 2 during the MSHSAA Class 3, District 3 Cross Country meet to be held at Fulton High School.