COLUMBIA — Get to state as a team.

That was the goal for David Martin’s Vienna Eagle Cross Country seniors dating back to when they were freshmen.

Finishing second in the team standings the previous weekend at the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Class 1, District 4 meet at Linn, that goal was met.

Fast forward to Saturday and the MSHSAA Cross Country Championships in Columbia at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course, Vienna found themselves at the state meet as a team.

“These guys have worked so hard to be able to run at state as a team,” Martin said.

Starting together in one of 42 boxes at the starting line, Vienna quickly saw themselves spread out when the field of 175 runners joined them on the course.

Finishing 10th last year as a junior, senior Caleb Horman was looking to close out his Vienna High School cross country career with another all-state performance.

Staying around the top 15 the entire race, Horman wound up cross the finish line with a 17th-place time of 17:45.8.

“As happy I was to place in the top 25, it was neat to have my team with me this time around,” Horman said. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without my teammates pushing my at every practice and meet.”

Finishing behind Horman for Martin’s Eagles included freshman Duncan Wilkinson with a 95th-place time of 19:47.0

Next across the finish line for the Eagles was senior Jehoshua Casey placing 128th in 20:43.4.

Just over 30 seconds later, Eagle junior Janis Hubert crossed the finish line in 141st place (21:17.2).

Eight places later, Kamden George posted a 149th place time of 21:51.7.

Senior Evan Casey ended his Vienna High School cross country career with a 157th-place time of 22:14.3.

Freshman Jackson Kilmer was the last Vienna Eagle to cross the finish line placing 170th in a time of 23:28.7.

Vienna’s boys were not the only Maries County harriers competing in Columbia at the 2020 MSHSAA Cross Country Championships.

Belle’s Tiger and Lady Tigers coached by Mark Bollinger and Jacob Walton saw three of their runners qualify for the state meet.

Collecting All-District honors in softball as well as cross country, Natalie Gehlert earned the right to end her fall sports campaign at the state cross country meet in Columbia.

Competing among 38 freshman, Gehlert registered a time of 23:50.8 good for 71st place in the Class 2 girls race Friday afternoon.

In the final race Friday, Belle Tiger harriers Corey McDaniel and Baylar Smith were among the 168 runners competing in the Class 2 boys race.

Among 31 freshmen in the race, Smith finished 110th in a time of 19:23.0.

Ending his junior season at the state meet, McDaniel finished in the top third of the field with a 60th-place time of 18:20.9

Also representing the Gasconade Valley Conference (GVC) at state cross country were Steelville’s Cardinals.

Connor Diaz (14th) and Ty Merseal (25th) earned All-State honors individually while helping the team place second in the state behind Father Tolton (Columbia).