R-II school hosts first XC meet in 50 years

 The campus of Marion County R-II School was the site of the first meet hosted by the school in 50 years.                 

“We had hosted meets back in the 70s. The meets were run out on the highway then,” said R-II Coach Dale Gosney. “Girls didn’t have cross country 50 years ago, so the girls that ran here Saturday were making history. 

Some of the guys who ran back then were here watching their grandkids run.”             

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown cross country scheduling for a loop, so the home meet was a way to provide more competition for the athletes.

“We were trying to find meets for our kids to run,” Gosney said. “Our athletic director, Reed Plunkett, and staff member, Margaret Keilholz, put in a lot of time to put this all together. 

“We had several staff members working during the meet. We had good weather, and I think it went well. We were able to fill our schedule as well as host seven other northeast Missouri schools.”

The Palmyra girls team took first place, but the Lady Mustangs’ Delaney Straus was the overall girls winner with a time of 21:00 minutes. 

Tristen Holt was the top Mustang finisher in 15th place.

The Mark Twain boys took first place, and Logan Lucas of Monroe City was the boys overall winner with a time of 19:15. 

In the Girls Junior High Division Palmyra’s Maiya Reese was the overall winner. The Marion County girls were the only school with a full team. 

Medal winners for the Mustangs were Maya Bock third place, Shari Wagner seventh place, Ailah Pollard sixth place, Alyssa Lee 10th place and Samantha Kindhart 12th.      

The Marion County Junior High Team won first place. Mark Twain’s Sam Northcutt was the overall winner. 

The young Mustang team was led by Levi Wright in second place, Rheo Schluckebier third, Joey Lageman fourth, Mason Wood fifth, Nick Kelli sixth, Porter Britt eighth, Wyatt Tuley ninth and Colton Swisher 11th.