JAMESTOWN – Even before snow and ice delayed the NDHSAA Class B Cross Country Championships by a day, the Rugby Panthers girls’ cross-country team knew it would be difficult to defend their state championship with a fifth consecutive title. The Panthers traded meet titles throughout the year with Bowman County and Hillsboro/Central Valley, and both came into the state championships ranked above Rugby in the final coaches’ poll.

“We needed to make the other teams earn their victory and that is what we did with Bowman County,” said Rugby cross-country head coach Bill Jansen. “Our kids ran really well. Maybe not an A+, but I’d give us an A-.”

That ‘A-‘ effort fueled a state-runner up finish, paced by Hannah Senechal’s seventh-place finish in 20:31.5. Other top 25 finishers for Rugby included Keyara Lundstrom, Brooklyn Bartsch, Amelia Shepard and Ashlyn Dibble. Lundstrum finished 12th in 20:59.2. The trio of Bartch (21:26.0), Amelia Shepard (21:26.5) and Ashlyn Dibble (21:29.4) finished 23-25th respectively.

While Rugby’s championship streak was snapped at four by meet winner Bowman County, other streaks remained intact, as the Bowman County boys’ won their fourth consecutive title while Des Lacs-Burlington’s sophomore phenom Brynn Hanson won the girls’ individual title for the third consecutive year.

“The weather did not let us perform our best, but everyone else ran in the same weather so it didn’t play much of a factor,” said Jansen. “We ran really well at this state meet, and I’m happy with how we handled the day.”

Bowman County saw all five runners finish in the top 15 on their way to a team score of 32. Hillsboro/Central Valley finished third with 106 points. Central Cas was fourth with 193, and Kindred rounded out the top five with a score of 193.

After Hanson, other individual members of the top five included, in order, Noa Sancho (New England), Mallory DeVries (Central Cass), Anna Sarsland (Bowman County) and Kenadie Pazdernik (Carrington).

Other Rugby girls’ finishers included: 42. Evyn Jacobson, 21:55.1; 56. Mauvlyn Kirchofer, 22:24.3; 62. Sara Schmaltz, 22:29.3; 64. Kathryn Kuntz, 22:30.6; 98. Jaelyn Lunde, 23:29.1.

Rugby’s boys team finished in 13th place with 451 points. Bowman County (37), Kindred (60), New Town (77), Hillsboro/Central Valley (194) and Killdeer (334) placed first through fifth among the boys’ teams.

Bowman County’s Jonah Njoe won the Class B boys’ cross-country state title.

Rugby finishers included 32. Holdyn Jacobson, 18:11.4; 39. Brayden Green, 18:16.9; 110. Austin Duchscher, 20:18.5; 114. Connor Klein, 20:21.2; 156. Maddex Kirchofner, 21:10.0; 166. Zeke Peurte, 21:21.9; 194. Sawyer Bossart, 21:52.5; 221. Dane Whorley, 22:25.6; 264. Damien Herman, 23:15.1 and 338. Liam Wurgler, 26:06.7.

In addition to Rugby, other area boys teams included Des Lacs-Burlington/Lewis and Clark (10th – 438), Kenmare-Bowbells-Burke Central (24th-661), Bottineau (25th-663), Bishop Ryan (28th-904), Surrey (30th-968) and Carrington (32-1169).