Running into their fourth cross-country meet of the season, the Ravens headed south to compete in the Tony Proctor Invitational on Sept. 21. 

Seven schools, including Hillcrest, participated in this event taking place at the Burlington Recplex. The Ravens had four runners on the girls side and five runners on the boys side complete in this race. 

As a team the Hillcrest boys earned a fourth-place finish in the overall standings. Mediapolis won the team title with a score of 24, they had four runners finish in the top five. 

Mediapolis senior Solomon Zaugg, coming off of an injury, took first place in the boys varsity race in 16:46. He was one of two racers to post a sub 17 minute time. In total 41 racers completed the boys race. 

Hillcrest junior Jesse Blossom led the boys team with a 15th place finish of 19:25. This time is a new personal best for Blossom. He has been steadily improving all season long and this is the first time he has posted a time under the 20-minute mark in a 5k race this year.

Crossing the finish line one after the other for the Ravens were freshman Isaac Beachy and juniors Jeremiah Danker and Kyle Neuschwander. Beachy placed 35th in 23:08, Danker placed 36th in 23:50, and Neuschwander placed 37th in 24:19.

Danker and Neuschwander set new PRs with their times. Neuschwander accomplished this by running negative splits, finishing every mile in this race faster than the mile before it. 

The last runner to cross the finish line for the Ravens boys team was freshman Braden Hartsock. Hartsock ended the race with a time of 25:19 to place 39th. 

In the girls varsity race 40 runners completed the course and Hillcrest freshman Marie Yoder outran all but one of those racers. 

For the first time in her young high school cross-country career Yoder ended a race with a sub-21-minute time, placing second with a final time of 20:58. Her runner-up finish led the Hillcrest girls team and her time set a new PR. 

The only runner to surpass Yoder’s time was Keokuk junior Hannah Karre. Karre placed first in 20:25. Keokuk won the team title with a score of 27, they had five runners place in the top 10. 

Making her high school cross country debut in this meet was Hillcrest sophomore Rya Scott. 

After not competing in Hillcrest’s first three cross-country meets of the season, due to an ankle sprain, Scott competed in her first race of the season at Burlington and placed 12th in 23:36. 

Junior Delaney Shaw and freshman Brynna O’Rourke were the last two Ravens to cross the finish line. In what was her best time of the season Shaw placed 33rd in 26:09 and O’Rourke set a new PR with a time of 27:54 to place 36th. 

Girls Results

1. Hannah Karre, Keokuk, 20:25

2. Marie Yoder, Hillcrest, 20:58

12. Rya Scott, Hillcrest, 23:36

33. Delaney Shaw, Hillcrest, 26:09

36. Brynna O’Rourke, Hillcrest, 27:54

Boys Results

1. Solomon Zaugg, Mediapolis, 16:46

15. Jesse Blossom, Hillcrest, 19:25

35.  Isaac Beachy, Hillcrest, 23:08

36. Jeremiah Danker, Hillcrest, 23:50

37. Kyle Neuschwander, Hillcrest, 24:19

39. Braden Hartsock, Hillcrest, 25:19