CROFTON — You can’t cut it any closer than the Ponca boys cross country team did Thursday.
The Indians placed three runners in the top 10 and won a super-tight team race to claim the Mid State Conference title at Lakeview Golf Course.
Ponca scored 36 points to edge runner-up O’Neill by a single point, with Norfolk Catholic finishing two points behind the Eagles in the six-team race.
Kole Krusemark led the way for the Ponca boys with a strong third-place finish of 17:40.0. Senior teammate Gannon Pfister, returning from an early-season injury, came in seventh at 18:082 and Broderick Hogn was eighth in 18:12.4. Lucas
Dendinger rounded out the Indians’ scoring by finishing 18th, while Micah Dendinger finished 33rd.
The Ponca girls were one runner short of a team score and were led by Jaelen Templeman, who finished one spot short of the top 15 with a time of 22:27.3. Klaudia Bruening was 25th and Laken Pfister finished 28th.
The Indians will run in the D-1 district race Thursday at Twin Creeks Golf Course. Start time is 4:30 p.m.
Mid State Conference
Girls Team Standings
Wayne 23, Crofton 36, Norfolk Catholic 48, Battle Creek 49, Boone Central 97, O’Neill 103.
Area Results
PONCA — 16. Jaelen Templeman, 22:27.3; 25. Klaudia Bruening, 23:58.9; 28. Laken Pfister, 24:24.5.
Boys Team Standings
Ponca 36, O’Neill 37, Norfolk Catholic 39, Battle Creek 47, Wayne 54, Boone Central 88.
Area Results
PONCA — 3. Kole Krusemark, 17:40.0; 7. Gannon Pfister, 18:08.2; 8. Broderick Hogan, 18:12.4; 18. Lucas Dendinger, 18:59.3; 33. Micah Dendinger, 20:07.1.
