For the first time in over a decade, the annual Owensville Invitational Cross Country meet was not held at the Owensville Golf Course.

It was instead contested on the Gasconade County R-2 campus.

“Kids on different teams were commenting on how beautiful this course was,” OHS head cross country coach Matt Candrl said.

That did not phase Sophie Ashner and her varsity Dutchgirl cross country teammates in the slightest.

Even with the absence of Paige Heckelmann due to an accidental injury in the band room, Owensville held off Class 2 powerhouse Fatima topping the varsity girl’s team standings to keep the championship plaque in town.

“I was very impressed that they were willing to take on the challenge of running against Fatima who may very well win the Class 2 state championship,” Candrl said.

Nearly breaking the 20-minute mark, Sophie Ashner won yet another race with a first-place time of 20:04.96.

“She (Sophie) ran a great time and it was great for her to get to run with someone in the end who may be the Class 2 state champion,” Candrl said

She was joined in the medals by Dutchgirl teammates Kendra Hults (4th, 21:10.40), Mekayla Gibson (9th, 22:09.33), Alesha Shockley (11th, 22:11.74) and Katie Candrl (22:51.92).

Varsity girls also helping Owensville keep the title plaque in town were Abby Koepke (17th, 23:14.55), Macy McKinney (33rd, 24:56.18), Arissa Huff (34th, 25:03.05), Wisdom Scott (50th, 27:07.69), Christyna Zheng (54th, 27:25.36), Molli Gross (60th, 29:20.70), Julianna Watkins (61st, 29:37.06), Isabelle Bruckerhoff (62nd, 30:05.42) and Alyssa Wehmeyer (71st, 33:04.41).

“Taking on the challenge of running against Fatima was good considering we respect them and they respect us.”

Capping the day of racing, Candrl’s varsity Dutchmen looked to duplicate the success of their Dutchgirl counterparts.

Bam Wizeman (7th, 18:21.07) and Austin Terry (10th, 18:34.01) helped Owensville place fifth as a team behind Hermann, Pacific, New Haven and Fatima.

“I was happy that Bam and Austin both bounced back and earned medals,” Candrl said.

Also competing for the varsity Dutchmen on their new home course were Cameron O’Neal (29th, 19:44.84), Treyden Williams (36th, 20:00.35), Aden Steineker (38th, 20:04.66), Devon Farris (60th, 22:02.10) and Freddy Zheng (61st, 22:09.41).

Running into a tough Fatima Comet team in the junior varsity boy’s race, Owensville placed fourth in the team standings behind the Comets, Bourbon and New Haven.

Christian Lowes paced the JV Dutchmen as the lone medalist with a 13th-place time of 21:35.93.

“Christian bounced back after not having his best race a week ago at Hermann,” Candrl said. “I was impressed with how he did today.”

Competing along with Lowes and helping Owensville edge Hermann by three points were Sawyer Wright (19th, 22:21.89), Dylan Fudge (20th, 22:26.11), Harm Rademacher (21st, 22:26.75), Eddie DeLong (27th, 23:10.46), Justin Garner (32nd, 25:00.71), Alex Kellogg (45th, 28:35.88), Jacob Hall (46th, 29:52.26) and Tristan Heflin (51st, 31:51.42).

“Harm (Rademacher), Dylan (Fudge) and Sawyer (Wright) did a great job of staying together throughout the race,” Candrl said.

In middle school racing action from Owensville, Tony Terry’s OMS Dutchmen finished second in the team standings with 74 points behind St. James (41) and just ahead of Hermann (76).

Will Lauth showed the way for Owensville with a sixth-place time of 9:49.36.

OMS Dutchmen harriers competing with Lauth helping the team place second were Collin Bullock (14th, 10:31.70), Bobby Coello (21st, 10:56.13), Trevor Shockley (27th, 11:09.99), Aidan Schoen (31st, 11:17.63), Noah Holtmeyer (34th, 11:22.81), Sam Nicks (37th, 11:37,45), Ethan Harris (41st, 11:50.16), Aries Nicholas (42nd, 11:51.82), Tristan Davis (46th, 11:57.78),  Jayden Barnett (57th, 12:23.27), James Johnson (59th, 12:36.15), Felix Guerrero (67th, 13:13.93), Andrew Blankenship (73rd, 13:56.79), Wyatt Kramme (75th, 14:18.33), James Jackson (76th, 14:23.48), Kaden Henson (81st, 16:12.30) and Erik Shell (85th, 19:23.54).

Kicking off the day of racing on the R-2 campus, the OMS Dutchgirls finished with 96 points just behind Union, Sullivan and Pacific in the middle school girl’s team standings.

Less than three seconds from a medal, Kylie Kitchen paced the OMS Dutchgirl harriers with an 11th-place time of 10:49.15.

Helping Owensville finish 11 points shy of second place included Hannah Stoker (23rd, 11:33.71), Charli Jaycox (24th, 11:43.40), Jasmine Duncan (35th, 12:47.93), Gabby Hale (39th, 12:56.13), Melissa Schnelting (40th, 12:58.07), Kendra Lay (50th, 13:58.60), Emelia Lakebrink (55th, 14:15.71), Ayla Schmanke (65th, 15:34.86), Jordan Frankenburg (67th, 15:48.93), Savannah McClure (68th, 16:00.45) and Amber Peters (69th, 17:25.10).

Varsity Dutchmen and Dutchgirl harriers will now have 11 days to prepare for the MSHSAA Class 3, District 5 Cross Country meet to be held on Saturday, Oct. 27 at the Pike County Fairgrounds in Bowling Green.