(Peru, Neb.) – Running in their final “official” meet of the year, the Bobcat cross country team competed in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) meet in Fayette, Mo.  The HAAC meet was hosted by Central Methodist University.
 
This was the first year for the Bobcats to compete in the HAAC and they finished last out of the eight teams competing.  The hosts won the conference finishing with a team score of 40.  The rest of the team results were 2^nd – Baker University – 57; 3^rd – Evangel University – 64; 4^th – Benedictine College – 118; 5^th – Missouri Valley – 126; 6^th – Graceland University – 142; 7^th – Avila University – 175, and 8^th – Peru State College – 226.
 
Danielle Prchal (Omaha) was Peru State's top runner finishing the 5K run in 23:27.82, good for 49^th overall and 42^nd in team scoring.  Tesla Oldfield (Nebraska City) was right behind Prchal in 50^th overall – 43^rd in scoring in 23:50.43. 
 
The other Bobcat runners and their finishes were Danielle Aldrich (Daykin) – 55^th/46^th in 25:41.9; Kesha Beethe (Tecumseh) – 57^th/47^th in 26:05.26; and Samantha Walker (Peyton, Colo.)  - 61^st/48^th in 31:29.25.
 
For Oldfield and Beethe, the results were their personal best of the season.  Oldfield knocked a remarkable 56 seconds off her best time while Beethe improved by 13 seconds. 
 
Cross Country head coach Dr. Johann Murray expected the competition to be tough in the Bobcats' first year in the HAAC.  Murray said, “Having run against a number of these teams in previous years and in a few meets over the last several years, we knew it would be a tough go.  However, with the possibility of all of the girls coming back next year and with the return of Sarah Williams (Hiawatha, Kan.) and Cassandra Leonard (Reynolds/Fairbury), both of whom red-shirted this year, we expect to move up in the HAAC race.”
 
The Bobcats will compete in one additional run this season, which will be a different type of run and competition.  Peru State will travel to Crystal City, Mo., on Nov. 19, to compete in the Crystal City Cave Run, which begins at 10 a.m.  This run is actually ran in a cave which was a working sand mine.    Runners will be going clockwise past underground lakes, over sand dunes, under an airshaft, and most likely through a couple ankle-deep puddles and quicksand like areas.
 
Murray added, “I have always liked to have a fun-type of event to finish up the season for the team.  This will be the first time going to Crystal City, so it could be an adventure.”