PCM harriers finish fourth, eighth at Centerville

CENTERVILLE — The PCM cross country teams each faced at least three ranked teams on Tuesday during the Centerville Invitational.

The Class 2A No. 8 Mustangs led the way in the girls’ competition, while the top PCM individual finisher was Kash Fischer in the boys’ 5K race.

Class 3A No. 5 Fort Madison was the girls’ team champion and 2A No. 5 Chariton won the boys’ title at Lakeview Sports Complex.

PCM’s girls scored 119 points in fourth and the Mustang boys were eighth in the 14-team field.

Darbey DeRaad led the Mustang girls in 13th. She posted a time of 20 minutes, 33.3 seconds. Lila Milani (21:02.6) also was in the top 20 as she finished 16th.

The other three scoring runners were Bailey Wheeler (21:15), Annie Ford (21:33.9) and Abi Teeter (21:38) in 24th, 35th and 36th, respectively.

The non-scoring runners were Raegan Vannoy (22:11) in 43rd and Ali Hilsabeck (22:11) in 44th.

Class 2A No. 4 McKenna Montgomery of Albia won the girls’ race in 18:23.6 and 2A No. 12 Paige Popson of Albia (19:16.9) was the runner-up.

Class 3A No. 5 Fort Madison won the girls team title with 37 points. Class 2A No. 10 Pella Christian (69) edged 2A No. 6 Albia (79) for second and PCM (119) and Keokuk (145) completed the top five of the 13-team field.

Oskaloosa (160), Davis County (169), Central Decatur (211), Wayne (239) and Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont (241) finalized the top 10.

The boys team title went to 2A No. 5 Chariton, which scored 37 points and placed all five scoring runners in the top 15.

Class 2A No. 14 Pella Christian (73), 3A No. 17 Fort Madison (84), 3A No. 20 Oskaloosa (112) and Knoxville (126) completed the top five.

Albia (177) led the next group and the remaining top 10 teams were Davis County (179), PCM (197), Clarke (248) and Ottumwa (277).

Fischer led the PCM boys in ninth. His time was clocked in 17:14.4. Owen Osterhaus (17:32.7) finished 18th, Joe Shaver (19:04.5) was 50th, Rylan Edgington (20:04.2) took 59th and Kolby Clark (20:41.9) placed 68th to complete the Mustangs’ lineup.

PCM was without 2023 state qualifier Coby DeRaad as well as varsity regulars Gabe Nessa and Charlie Ford.

Class 2A No. 13 Sawyer Meinders of Pella Christian won the boys’ race in 16:08.9. The runner-up was 3A No. 16 Isaac Rankin (16:18) of Knoxville.