The Chillicothe Hornets cross country teams traveled to Jesse James Park in Kearney for the district meet, where the boys team battled through rainy, muddy conditions to earn a fourth-place finish and qualify for the Class 3 State Meet for the fifth consecutive year.
Chillicothe also had five individual runners finish in the top 30, earning All-District honors and qualifying for the state competition.
Leading the Hornets was junior Spencer Johansen, who finished third overall out of 116 runners with a time of 17:39. Zephaniah O’Berry followed with a 10th-place finish in 18:19. Layton Baker placed 29th in 18:52.9, while Brody Norris finished 30th in 18:53.0.
The boys’ team qualification came down to a strong team effort, with Chillicothe finishing just six points ahead of Knob Noster for fourth place. The Hornets’ fifth runner battled through an ankle injury that had been bothering him leading up to the meet. After slipping and falling near the first turn on the muddy course, he got back up and continued running, finishing the remaining distance despite the injury.
With the possibility of needing additional support from the team’s sixth and seventh runners, Garrett Wheeler responded with a strong finish. Wheeler passed eight runners during the final third of a mile to move into the fifth scoring position and help secure the Hornets’ state qualification.
On the girls’ side, freshman AmRee Neilson earned an individual trip to state with a 30th-place finish in 22:38. Neilson recorded a personal record, improving by 1 minute and 15 seconds from her previous best to claim the final qualifying position. Her continued improvement in recent races carried over to the district meet, where she maintained her position among the top 30.
While the girls team did not advance as a group, the Hornets showed determination throughout the season, continuing to work through challenges and injuries.
The boys’ fourth-place finish marks the fifth consecutive year Chillicothe has qualified its boys team for the state meet. Along with the four boys earning individual All-District honors, Neilson gives the Hornets five individual state qualifiers.
Chillicothe will travel to Columbia for the Class 3 State Cross Country Meet Friday at Gans Creek Cross Country Course, where the Hornets will look to cap their season with a strong performance.
