Linn’s cross country teams faced challenging conditions at the Owensville Invitational on Tuesday, with the high school runners using the competition to prepare for districts while the junior high Wildcats concluded their season.

With the heat affecting the races,Coach Tasha Haslag said the high school teams approached the meet with an emphasis on preparation and experience rather than personal records as the postseason approaches.

The Lady Wildcats finished seventh in the varsity girls’ 5K competition with 174 points, led by Lily Baker, who placed 36th in 26:26.0. Charli Lenger (43, 26:59.0) was next, followed by Adalyn Brandt (62, 28:52.4), Allie Hackmann (69, 30:20.7), Elyse Brandt (73, 31:09.3), Kylie Messenger (75, 31:51.6), and Enslee Stevenson (99, 45:31.9).

In the varsity boys’ 5K race, Jackson Hamburg led the Wildcats with a 38th-place finish in 20:47.4, followed by Vince Tschappler (66, 22:30.6), Samuel Heckman (99, 26:39.6), and Emmit Mehmert (107, 29:24.3).

While the high school runners continued preparing for postseason competition, Tuesday marked the final meet of the season for the junior high teams under coaches Haslag and Mekayla Gibson.

Kensington Kramer led the junior high Lady Wildcats in the 3,200-meter race, finishing 18th in 16:58.7.

Other Lady Wildcat results were Daphne Baker (29, 18:34.5), Grace Hall (37, 19:33.2), and Jaeden Theissen (42, 19:57.5).

The high school Wildcats, now shift their focus Fatima on Saturday and then to districts, where the runners hope to build on their late-season preparation and finish the season strong.

Landon Engelhardt paced the junior high boys in their 3,200-meter competition, finishing 19th in 14:06.1, as Thatcher Gray (64, 18:18.8) crossed next for the Wildcats, followed by Collin Kempker (75, 20:28.0), and Jagger Maasen (88, 24:03.7).

For Haslag and Gibson, the junior high season provided opportunities for runners with varying levels of experience to develop their abilities while building friendships and confidence.

“We have really enjoyed our time with this group of middle school runners,” Haslag said. “Some came to us with running experience, while others were trying something completely new. We’ve had a lot of laughs, learned a lot together, and watched these kids grow throughout the season. Cross country can be a tough sport, but these athletes continued to show up and give us their best. We are proud of each of them.”

Haslag said the opportunity to introduce young athletes to cross country and watch their development is among the most rewarding aspects of coaching at the junior high level.

“One of my favorite parts of coaching middle school is knowing that this is just the beginning for so many of them,” Haslag said. “We hope they walk away from this season with great memories, new friendships, and a little more confidence in themselves. We’re excited to watch them continue to grow, whether that’s on the track this spring, back on the cross country course next fall, or wherever their interests take them.”

Haslag and Gibson also expressed appreciation to the families who supported the junior high program throughout the season, from early practices to long competition days.