The Pekin Panthers cross country teams delivered strong performances at the Mike Jay Invitational on Thursday, October 9th, at the Cedar Crest Country Club hosted by Columbus Community, with the girls claiming the team championship and the boys finishing third in a competitive field.
Girls Dominate Competition
The Pekin girls ran away with the team title, scoring 23 points to defeat host Columbus Community, who finished second with 36 points. WACO, Winfield-Mt. Union, and New London did not have enough runners for the team standings.
Chloe Glosser led the way for the Panthers, capturing first place overall to pace the championship effort. Abby Guise followed closely in fourth place, while Maddy Petrehn placed seventh to give Pekin three runners in the top seven.
Cambree Earnest finished eighth and Hailey Pedrick took ninth to round out Pekin’s scoring five, with all five scoring runners placing in the top nine positions. The depth didn’t stop there — Zoe Heisdorffer placed 11th, Haven Hensley finished 12th, and Harper Guise took 13th, giving Pekin eight runners in the top 13 overall. Reagan Wise added a 19th-place finish to complete the Panthers’ scoring.
The dominant performance showcased Pekin’s depth and the tight pack running that has characterized their season.
Boys Place Third in Tough Field
The Pekin boys faced stiffer competition in a field that included two state-ranked teams, finishing third with 52 points. Seventh-ranked WACO claimed the team title with 32 points, while eighth-ranked Columbus Community took second with 46 points. Winfield-Mt. Union finished fourth with 123 points, and New London rounded out the team standings in fifth with 127 points.
Cole Millikin led the Panthers with a strong second-place overall finish, while Lane Fariss placed fifth to give Pekin two runners in the top five. Mason Dahlstrom added a seventh-place finish to complete the top-seven scoring for the Panthers.
Brody Sobaski came in 19th and Landon Fariss finished 21st to round out Pekin’s scoring five. The Panthers showed impressive depth with Clayton Harvey placing 24th, Conor Cloyd taking 25th, and Hayden Miller finishing 26th. Colton Harvey (33rd), Liam Guise (34th), and Wyatt Brown (36th) also contributed solid performances.
The third-place finish against two ranked opponents demonstrates the continued growth and competitiveness of the Pekin boys’ program.
Looking Ahead
Both Pekin teams will be back in action on Tuesday, October 14th, when they travel to Hillcrest Academy for the conference race. With momentum from last Thursday’s strong performances, the Panthers will look to peak at the right time as the postseason approaches.
