By DALE KUGATH
Sportswriter
FREEBORN – Some blustery conditions and a hilly course made it a tough day for the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva cross country teams at Oakview Golf course in Freeborn Oct. 9.
The Panther boys finished fourth among five teams and the NRHEG girls came in fifth in the five-team field. Both squads finished last in 2011.
The NRHEG boys have an overall record of 6-56 after eight meets, while the girls are 10-50.
Boys
The NRHEG boys managed to beat conference foe Waterville-Elysian-Morristown/Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton but no one else at the USC Invitational.
La Crescent captured the meet with 30 points, 12 fewer than host USC. The Panthers were 20 points behind third-place Blooming Prairie with 97 points.T.J. Schiltz continued his outstanding fall by winning the 5,000-meter race in 16:22.
Raece Johnson and Adam Anderson ran two-three for NRHEG as they have done most of the season. Johnson placed 19th overall in 19:35, while Anderson finished 23rd in 19:48.
Dustin Burshem ran fourth for the Panthers and placed 35th overall, completing the course in 21:34.
“It was a blustery evening so most times were up a bit,” said NRHEG coach Mike Weber. “Dustin had the best time he has ever run on a cross country course.”
Jake Schendel rounded out the NRHEG runners by finishing 44th in 24:23.
Girls
The NRHEG girls were not able to defeat any of the other four teams, finishing fifth with 119 points. The Panthers were 12 points shy of fourth-place WEM/JWP.
La Crescent also won the girls race with 27 points, 15 ahead of USC.
Katharine Lewer led the Panther runners as she has all season. Lewer was 15th in the race with a 17:47 over 4,000-meters.
Missy Malakowski was the second Panther to finish, running an 18:40 to capture the 24th position.
Crystal Olson and Sandra Quezada finished 30th and 33rd respectively as NRHEG’s third and fourth runners. Olson finished in 19:10, 10 seconds faster than Quezada.
Kristy Possin completed the Panther scoring as their fifth runner. She placed 41st in 21:22.
“Kristy had the race of the night on the girls’ side,” said Weber. “She has really focused and been our lone runner to take off time every meet during the season.”
Also running with NRHEG was Marissa Mortenson (45th in 22:14) and Tina Quezada (48th in 22:57).
The Panther runners will now prepare themselves for the Section 2A Meet at Blue Earth Oct. 25.
USC Invitational
Team results (B): 1)-La Crescent 30, 2)-USC 42, 3)-Blooming Prairie 77, 4)-NRHEG 97, 5)-WEM/JWP 131.
NRHEG results: 1)-Schiltz 16:22, 19)-Johnson 19:35, 23)-Anderson 19:48, 35)-Burshem 21:34, 44)-Schendel 24:23.
Team results (G): 1)-La Crescent 27, 2)-USC 42, 3)-Blooming Prairie 78, 4)-WEM/JWP 107, 5)-NRHEG 119.
NRHEG results: 15)-Lewer 17:47, 24)-Malakowsky 18:40, 30)-C. Olson 19:10, 33)-S. Quezada 19:20, 41)-Possin 21:22, 45)-Mortenson 22:14, 40-T. Quezada 22:57.
NEXT: Oct. 25 – Section 2A Meet at Blue Earth, 4 p.m.