Running on their home course last Tuesday at Loutre Shore Country Club, Keely Uthlaut’s Hermann Middle School (HMS) and Hermann High School (HHS) cross country runners were eying top-15 finishes in their respective races during the Four Rivers Conference (FRC) Cross Country meet.

In the varsity girls race which was ran first, Hermann’s Lady Bearcats placed fifth in the team standings with 109 points finishing behind Union (38), Pacific (51), Sullivan (91) and St. Clair (101).

Hermann senior Cecilia Shepard just missed All-FRC honors with a 16th-place time of 24:33.3 leading the Lady Bearcats on their home course.

Also helping Hermann to a fifth-place team finish in the varsity girls division were sophomore Eileen Swofford (23rd, 26:10.6), sophomore Fynnlee Riffle (28th, 26:48.8), senior Lillian Vogelsang (33rd, 27:22.6), senior Makenna Witthaus (35th, 27:39.5), freshman Ellison Calvert (37th, 28:16.5), sophomore Nevaeh Bentley (39th, 28:25.4), freshman Sidney Heldt (41st, 28:34.5) and freshman Kylie VandeVoorde (46th, 31:02.8).

Second on the course was the varsity boys.

Hermann’s Bearcats placed fourth as a team with 115 points behind Owensville (34), St. James (69) and Union (87).

Senior Ryker Ash earned All-FRC honorable mention accolades with an 11th-place time of 18:41.6.

Fellow varsity Bearcats helping Hermann place fourth as a team included junior CJ Mires (20th, 19:20.7), senior Nathan Menke (21st, 19:22.6), senior Chase Branson (26th, 20:07.8), freshman Matthew Tallent (41st, 21:39.0), sophomore Holden Schales (42nd, 21:47.5) and sophomore Andrew Calvert (44th, 22:07.9).

During the junior varsity boys race, three JV Bearcats finished in the top 10 which included sophomore Jackson Engemann (5th, 21:07.4), freshman Landon Wilson (8th, 21:17.1) and freshman Laramie Bristow (10th, 21:33.1).

Engemann earned All-FRC First Team honors while Wilson and Bristow both collected All-FRC Second Team accolades.

Also helping Hermann place second as a team with 53 points behind Owensville (24) were sophomore James Leavy (19th, 22:56.4), freshman Jakob Hoener (21st, 23:10.5), freshman Teagan Rucker (24th, 23:42.2), freshman Lane Bristow (31st, 24:57.8), freshman Kayden Brinker (34th, 25:44.4), sophomore Ethan Helmig (35th, 25:48.1) and freshman Logan Tyree (38th, 28:09.9).

HMS’ Lady Bearcats placed fourth as a team with 71 points behind Owensville (42), Union (51) and Pacific (52).

Sophia Bohl led the HMS Lady Bearcats with a fifth-place time of 14:12.1 giving her All-FRC First Team honors in the middle school girls race.

HMS Lady Bearcats finishing behind Bohl included Elise Shoemaker (17th, 16:40.4), Lillian Azevedo (20th, 16:59.8), Audrey Talamante (22nd, 17:34.2), Iris Pottebaum (24th, 17:43.9), Kyah Humphrey (26th, 18:03.4) and EllaGrace Carr (34th, 22:22.8).

In the middle school boys race, Hermann placed fourth as a team with 99 points behind Union (38), Owensville (58) and Pacific (66).

They were led by Jaxon Kallmeyer’s seventh-place time of 12:32.1 earning him All-FRC Second Team honors.

HMS Bearcats finishing behind Kallmeyer included Olson Rucker (19th, 13:32.5), Henry Lindahl (24th, 13:45.0), James Shoemaker (25th, 13:46.0), Mason Roche (30th, 14:07.3), Miles Busch (36th, 14:27.5), Easton Bailey (45th, 15:22.6) and William Traub (54th, 17:02.5).