OWENSVILLE — Coming off solid finishes at the Gasconade Valley Conference (GVC) Cross Country meet in Steelville nearly two weeks ago, Samantha Ridenhour’s Belle Lady Tiger and Tiger cross country teams were looking for top-30 individual finishes or top-four team placements during the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Class 2, District 3 Cross Country meet hosted by Owensville High School throughout the Gasconade County R-2 campus.

Once both the Class 2 girls and boys races were in the books, Belle Tiger freshman Jackson Prater emerged as the lone state qualifier following his 22nd-place time of 18:12.24.

Prater will not be the only GVC runner competing in the Class 2 Boys race this Friday during the MSHSAA Cross Country Championships at Columbia’s Gans Creek Cross Country Course.

Steelville freshman Andrew Jensen finished in a 12th-place time of 17:55.10 while Bourbon freshman Elijah Frederick narrowly posted a top-30 finish with a 26th-place time of 18:18.95.

Tiger harriers finishing behind Prater included sophomore Coltin Hazelwood (60th, 19:37.41), junior Malachi Fredendall (77th, 20:19.94), freshman Ryker Huebner (83rd, 20:31.35), senior Miles Frey (86th, 20:44.69) junior Braxton Ahart (90th, 20:49.09) and junior David Skaggs (118th, 22:12.47).

Belle’s Tigers placed 11th as a team with 297 points behind Whitfield (100), Fatima (101), Houston (111), Elsberry (201), Hermann (202), Steelville (206), Palmyra (208), Brentwood (231), New Bloomfield (246) and Veritas Christian Academy (277).

Ella Kent nearly joined Prater at state but came up one spot shy posting a 31st-place time of 22:12.46.

Additional Lady Tigers competing at the district meet included freshman Skylar Stevens (47th, 23:24.84), freshman Marianne Francis (100th, 26:53.06), junior Kenadie Bailey (104th, 27:16.01), freshman Sedora Carroll (106th, 28:00.19), junior Allania Moore (112th, 29:05.30) and senior Saylor Kent (114th, 29:29.40).