Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn’s Madison Otto made her last War Eagle Conference Cross Country Meet a memorable one. The senior finished fifth October 11 to earn all-conference honors for the fourth straight year. The top 15 finishers earn that distinction. The meet was run at the Dordt University Prairie in Sioux Center. It was the first time that locale had hosted a high school meet.
“It was a new experience for everybody there,” noted HMS head coach Kyle Borchers. “Personally, I loved the course. Anytime we can get off a golf course and run on a cross country area is great. The kids responded well to it.”
Otto was excited to have exceeded even her expectations with the fifth place finish. “It felt really good,” she revealed. “I never thought I could do that well.” Fifth place did not become a reality until Otto began making her move starting with 800 meters to go and then finished strong. “The final 400 I kicked it in,” she explained.
“Her time of 22:11 was a season best,” reported Borchers “She was all conference, she placed Top 5. Those were goals we had set that day. She ran fantastic.”
Otto feels she has benefited from running against some stiff competition during this cross country season. “It pushed me,” she said.
This is the senior’s fifth year in the sport. “In eighth grade I quit volleyball and won my first race,” she said. The HMS cross country program has been the beneficiary of that decision.
Otto joins Katie Knoblock and Kourtney Schnurr as the only HMS runners to earn all-conference honors all four years. When did Otto first believe that a four-year all-conference reign might be a possibility? “After my first race my freshman year I had the feeling I could keep going and do it all,” she stated. Added Borchers, “It is not easy to do.”
With a pair of runners unavailable, there were only two other HMS girls competing. Gracie Knobloch wound up 39th and Juliana Pasillas 40th. The two joined Otto in posting season-best times. “I was impressed with how all three ran,” stated Borchers. Unity Christian, which placed six runners among the top 15, was the girls champion with a team total of 20.
The host Knights also captured the boys title with a total of 27. HMS and Trinity Christian tied with a score of 129. Criteria awarded the Hawks fifth place and Trinity sixth.
Individually for HMS George Vargas finished 21st, Aiden Bush 26th, Bryce Dodge 30th, Aiden Jensen 36th, Blaine Finster 50th, Damian Dodge 54th and Ryan Grotluschen 73rd. Gavin Faulkner competed in the same race as a JV runner and placed 72nd overall.
“They were all ready to go for the meet,” said their coach. “As a team we ran well. Our goal was to be in the Top 5. Placing fifth put us within that goal.”
Next up for the Hawks is the Class 1A State Qualifying Meet Thursday at 4:00 p.m. at Holstein. Finishers 1 through 10 advance to the State Meet and Otto declared that her goal is to be among them. Said Borchers, “It’s the only thing she hasn’t done in her career, but she would like to do it.” The coach hopes to have all five girls available so HMS can score as a team and wants to see Knobloch and Pasillas keep moving forward. On the boys side, he would like to see George Vargas and Bryce Dodge run times under 20 minutes. “Last year both teams finished last,” noted Borchers. “We want to score as high as we can as a team to show we have improved so much this year.”

Girls Varsity Team Results
Unity Christian 20, Hinton 53, West Sioux 84, Gehlen Catholic 104, South O’Brien 107.

HMS Individual Results
Madison Otto, 5th, 22:12; Gracie Knobloch, 39th, 26:47; Juliana Pasillas, 40th, 26:52.

Boys Varsity Team Results
Unity Christian 27, MMCRU 53, Gehlen Catholic 81, Hinton 108, HMS 129, Trinity Christian 129, South O’Brien 182.

HMS Individual Results
George Vargas, 21st, 20:22; Aiden Bush, 26th, 20:44; Bryce Dodge, 30th, 20:60; Aiden Jensen, 36th, 21:33; Blaine Finster, 50th, 22:47; Damian Dodge, 54th, 23:32; Ryan Grotluschen, 73rd, 27:43.

HMS JV Individual Results
Gavin Faulkner, 72nd overall, 27:22.