Local cross country teams delivered impressive performances Thursday at the Wildwood Park Cross Country Meet in Ottumwa, with Pekin’s Chloe Glosser claiming individual victory while both Pekin and Fairfield secured solid team finishes.
The girls competition featured intense team battles, with Van Buren County edging Ottumwa 53-59 for the team championship. Pekin and Louisa-Muscatine tied for 3rd place with identical 91-point totals, while Fairfield rounded out the top 5 with 95 points.
Pekin was led by senior Chloe Glosser, who captured 1st place overall to highlight an outstanding day for the Panthers. The team’s depth proved crucial in securing their 3rd-place tie, with 4 runners finishing in the top 32.
Abby Guise provided excellent support with an 8th-place finish, while Callie Deutschle (24th) and Maddy Petrehn (26th) ran strong races to keep Pekin’s scoring tight. Bree Earnest completed the scoring with a 32nd-place effort.
Harper Guise (33rd) and Hailey Pedrick (36th) also contributed valuable depth for the Panthers, demonstrating the team’s overall strength throughout the lineup.
The Trojans showcased impressive team running with 3 athletes finishing in the top 12. Carolina Van Pelt led Fairfield with a 9th-place showing, followed closely by Naomi Stiemsma in 11th and Alex Jo Steward in 12th.
This trio of strong finishes kept Fairfield competitive throughout the race. Kensley Fligg added a solid 29th-place performance, while Anna McAvan (34th) and Bailey Belzer (38th) completed the Trojans’ scoring effort.
The boys competition saw Louisa-Muscatine claim the team title with 46 points, followed by Van Buren County with 55. Pekin finished 3rd with 86 points, while Fairfield placed 4th with 110 points.
The Panthers’ boys squad delivered a strong top-3 performance that kept them in contention throughout the race. Cole Millikin led the way with an impressive 3rd-place finish, while Lane Fariss (5th) and Mason Dahlstrom (6th) provided excellent depth at the front of the field.
The Panthers’ challenge came in their back half, with Brody Sobaski (33rd) and Landon Fariss (39th) rounding out the scoring. Clayton Harvey (47th) and Hayden Miller (55th) provided additional experience for the developing program.
The Trojans demonstrated solid team depth with a more evenly distributed scoring approach. John Miller paced Fairfield with a 13th-place finish, followed immediately by Brice Boatright in 14th place.
Clae Cass contributed a strong 23rd-place performance, while Elijah Hamilton (28th) and Arron Wellnitz (32nd) completed the scoring for the Trojans. Jordan Miller (34th) and Andrew Myers (40th) added valuable depth to the team’s overall effort.
Pekin’s individual success from Glosser and strong front-running from their boys squad suggests continued improvement, while Fairfield’s balanced team approach in both races demonstrates solid preparation for their upcoming races.
When asking Coach Belzer how he thought their first race of the season went, he said, “I’m really happy with how we ran for our first meet. We looked strong and I thought we handled a tough course pretty well.” Fairfield got a late start to the season compared to some other teams as this was their first meet of the year. This was Pekin’s 3rd meet so far this season, as they raced in Knoxville and Albia last week.
Fairfield’s next race will be at home on September 11th in Waterworks Park for Homecoming week. Pekin will be racing next Tuesday on September 9th at the Riverview Club in Keosauqua hosted by Van Buren County.
