NM Boys Just Miss State XC
OTTUMWA – In what was probably the toughest district in Class 1A, North Mahaska’s boys cross country team just missed making the state field at Ottumwa’s Wildwood Park Thursday. The team placed third behind No. 2 Earlham (53) and No. 13 Pella Christian (59). North Mahaska had 91 points followed by Pekin with 169. The girls meet was just as competitive with No. 11 Earlham won the meet (57) followed by No. 3 Pekin (61) and No. 14 Pella Christian 95. Also in the field was No. 19 Collins-Maxwell.
The top two runners were from Earlham and are also highly ranked individually. Jayden Dickson won with a time of 16 minutes 55 seconds. His teammate Dominic Braet finished in 17:09. Pekin’s Zack Wise took fourth in 17:43.
The top two teams and the top 10 runners not from the top two made the state field. North Mahaska senior Lane Harmon placed 13th in 18:16 and sophomore Brayden Veiseth was 15th in 18:31. Nate Sampson placed 18th in 18:42 and Asher DeBoef was 21st in 18:51. Anthony Goemaat rounded out the scoring in 24th in 18:59.
Running but not in the scoring were Ben Yang with a 33rd place finish in 19:29 and Sean Knockel ran 36th in 19:46.
Two girls competed for North Mahaska. Freshman Breckyn Schilling finished 59th in 25:56 and her sister Addie, a senior, placed 78 in 30:01. Addie was running for the first time in two weeks due to a severe hand injury. She wanted to compete in the final meet of her career.
