Pekin girls? cross country wins again

Another cross country meet meant yet another team title for the Pekin girls, who claimed their second win of the season Thursday at the Fairfield Invite.

It also meant another title for Pekin freshman Gwynne Wright, who has now won all three races in her varsity career.

Wright finished first in the Class A race, breaking the tape in 15:26 to lead her Panthers to a 36-point win over second-place Lone Tree. Overall, Pekin squeezed four runners into the top six on its way to scoring 28 points. Lone Tree scored 64 and Wapello finished third with 76.

The other Pekin harriers in the top six included Sloan Reighard in fourth place (16:55), Maleaha Earnest in fifth (17:00) and Taylor Lock finishing sixth (17:06). Payton Lock also scored for Pekin with a 12th-place time of 18:31.

Gretel Major (13th, 18:34) and Hannah Robison (16th, 18:39) were alternates.

The Panther boys finished in the middle of the six-team field, just edging IMS to finish third with 108 points. Highland won the team title with 47 points.

Freshman Austin Fariss led the Panthers with a ninth-place finish in 18:42. Chase Earnest was 15th (19:25) and Clayton Essary finished 16th (19:37).

For Cardinal, Lindsay Albert again led the way with a 17th-place finish in 18:43. Lexi Engle clocked a 22:29 for 33rd place, and Emily Miller finished 34th in 22:33. Lindsey Davis (36th, 23:30) and Samia Harrington (37th, 24:20) completed the team score.

Pekin has more than a week off before traveling to Albia Sept. 17. Cardinal is at English Valley on Tuesday.

Fairfield Invite

Final Team Scores ? Class A Girls

1. Pekin 28, 2. Lone Tree 64, 3. Wapello 76, 4. IMS 143, 5. Cardinal 157

Pekin Individual Results

1. Gwynne Wright (15:26), 4. Sloan Reighard (16:55), 5. Maleaha Earnest (17:00), 6. Taylor Lock (17:06), 12. Payton Lock (18:31), 13. Gretel Major (18:34), 16. Hannah Robison (18:39)

Cardinal Individual Results

17. Lindsay Albert (18:43), 33. Lexi Engle (22:29), 34. Emily Miller (22:33), 36. Lindsey Davis (23:30), 37. Samia Harrington (24:20), 38. Allison Metcalf (24:36), 41. Megan Miller (25:55)

Final Team Scores ? Class A Boys

1. Highland 47, 2. Wapello 50, 3. Pekin 108, 4. IMS 109, 5. Winfield-Mount Union 113, 6. Danville-New London 114

Pekin Individual Results

9. Austin Fariss (18:42), 15. Chase Earnest (19:25), 16. Clayton Essary (19:37), 27. Avery Bennett (20:50), 41. Joel Swanson (no time)