Saints chase RPAC championship; take second

BERTRAND, Neb. — Alma-Southern Valley’s Saints stepped up to make a great run for the RPAC boys cross-country team title Thursday.

The Saints took a close second, just four points from catching champion and host Bertrand-Loomis.

Griffin Stemper was second (18:47) as only Paxton’s Damin Luedke (17:35) ran a faster 5,000 meters across the Bertrand course.

Jacxon Tischner joined Stemper in the final top five.

Paxton placed third overall and was only one point in front of defending RPAC champion Southwest.

Junoir Cole Barnett’s sixth-place finish paced the Roughriders with Austin Thompson earning eighth and Carter Van Pelt 15th.

The Cambridge Trojans took fifth among seven teams led by medalist Aidan Gunderson (11th).

Team scores: 1. Bertrand-Loomis 17, 2. Alma-Southern Valley 21, 3. Paxton 25, 4. Southwest 26, 5. Cambridge 44, 6. Arapahoe 54.

Top 15 medalists: 1. Damin Luedke, PAX, 17:35; 2. Griffin Stemper, Alma-SV, 18:47; 3. Marcus Hernandez, B-L, 19:01.3; 4. Wes Trompke, B-L, 19:01.82; 5. Jacxon Tischner, Alma-SV, 19:43; 6. Cole Barnett, SW, 19:47; 7. Rylin Johns, PAX, 19:50; 8. Austin Thompson, SW, 19:51.43; 9. Elio Nila, Maxwell, 19:51.88; 10. Dallas Beegle, Maxwell, 19:59; 11. Aidan Gunderson, CAM, 20:06; 12. Joe Brown, Medicine Valley, 20:07; 13. Chonsey Bieker, B-L, 20:08; 14. Campbell Schutz, ARAP, 20:10; 15. Carter VanPelt, SW, 20:12.

Other top 30 area placers out of 41 who finished varsity race:

17. Blake DeVitt, HC, 20:49; 18. Bladyn Herrick, Alma-SV, 20:50; 19. Landon Tines, HC, 20:59; 21. Wyatt Jackson, CAM, 21:08; 22. Garrett Stamm, Dundy County-Stratton, 21:25; 25. Matt Morgan, CAM, 21:42.29; 26. Karson Klumpy, CAM, 21:42.92; 27. Jacob Moore, ARAP, 21:48; 28. Ashton Downey, ARAP, 21:58; 29. Trevor Brown, Alma-SV, 21:58; 30. Gavin Gunderson, CAM, 22:23.53.

All area teams now get ready for the district meets next week including one at Cambridge.