Running a day later due to inclement weather, Bland Middle School (BMS) and Belle High School (BHS) cross country runners coached by Samantha Ridenhour took full advantage of being able to run on their home course at Belle City Park during last Wednesday’s Belle Invitational.

Kicking things off last Wednesday afternoon was the middle school boys race.

Already with race wins at New Haven, Linn, Steelville and Fulton under his belt, Bland eighth-grader Jackson Prater looked to make it five races in a row with a victory on his home course.

Quickly racing to the front of the pack, Prater led wire-to-wire going on to post a first-place time of 10:56.51 over 30 seconds ahead of Rolla’s Callan Langley who placed second in 11:29.45.

Fellow Bears helping Bland to a fourth-place team finish with 121 points behind Vienna (61), Fatima (90) and Rolla (100) included Michael Felton (3rd, 11:48.34), Alden Zabel (19th, 13:05.41), Ryker Huebner (54th, 15:09.62), Tharon Kent (57th, 15:12.95), Treyton Huebner (68th, 15:41.47) and Braxton Elrod (97th, 19:38.63).

In the middle school girls race, all four of Bland’s Lady Bears nearly finished in the top 20 giving themselves a medal.

Skylar Stevens led the Lady Bear quartet with a third-place time of 14:11.07 followed by Gracelyn Jarvis (7th, 14:21.08), Marianne Francis (18th, 15:11.45) and Cora Langston (36th, 17:38.99).

“My middle schoolers are all improving every race and that’s the best part,” Ridenhour said.

Varsity boys racing action saw all four Belle Tiger runners earn medals with top-20 finishes.

Sophomore David Skaggs showed the way with a seventh-place time of 19:37.41 followed by Connor Weigel (13th, 20:09.36), Malachi Fredendall (14th, 20:10.22) and Coltin Hazelwood (16th, 20:17.81).

Belle’s Lady Tigers nearly duplicated the feat of their Tiger counterparts with two harriers in the top 20 and medal position.

Sophomores Ellanor Kent (4th, 23:27.60) and Kenadie Bailey (5th, 23:28.42) rounded out the top five of the varsity girls race while fellow Lady Tigers Saylor Kent (29th, 28:58.05) and Allania Moore (30th, 29:17.53) rounded out the top 30.

“It was great seeing 12 of our athletes earn medals along with everyone running a PR (personal record),” Ridenhour said.

Bland and Belle harriers will return to action today (Wednesday) in the Cuba Invitational at Hood Park with racing beginning at 4 p.m.