Spencer, Ia (KICD) – The Spencer Cross Country team hosted the State Qualifying Meet Wednesday at the Spencer Municipal Golf Course.

For the Girls Race, Gilbert’s Emee Dani came away with the win, running a time of 19:03.39. Dani was happy with the Spencer Course.

Spencer’s Peyton Morey placed 3rd with a time of 19:47.85 to qualify for State. Morey is used to running alone up front in a lot of her races but was challenged late in this one.

Spencer Cross Country Coach Drew Schiltz says this is some of the best he has seen Morey run.

Gilbert would win the girls race with 47 points. Sioux Center was 2nd and Bishop Heelan was 3rd as all 3 qualify their teams for the State Meet. Spencer would finish 5th.

In the Boys Race, Gilbert’s Logan Bleich ran a 16:04.00 on his way to a Site Championship. Gilbert dominated as a team, placing all 7 scorers in the top 15 to qualify for State. Bleich says the goal is a State Title.

Storm Lake’s Joe Ramirez-Parra is moving on to the State meet after running a time of 16:48.45. His teammate Luiz Martinez also advances to Fort Dodge, finishing 9th with a time of 16:49.98. Spencer’s Nolan McCusker would break into the State Meet with a 15th place finish, ticking a time of 17:15.72. McCusker picked some opponents to hang with during the race, and that vaulted him in to the top 15.

Coach Schiltz was impressed with McCusker’s last half-mile.

Gilbert won the team title with an incredible 17 points. MOC-Floyd Valley and Sioux Center will join them in Fort Dodge, taking 2nd and 3rd respectively. Spencer just missed the cut in the Boys race, placing 4th, only 10 points behind 3rd place.