The De Soto High School cross country team competed at the Mark Chipman Cat Classic at Shawnee Mission Park on Oct. 4. The annual five-kilometer race is hosted by Mill Valley High School.

Overall, the girls’ team placed second and the boys’ team placed fourth of 10 teams, and a majority of the varsity teams set new personal records. Three of the DHS varsity boys placed in the top 15 of 80 runners.

Junior Sam Hubert placed fourth with a personal record time of 15:57. Close behind in eighth place with another personal best time of 16:31 was senior Andre Vanmeerhaeghe. Junior Graham Hudelson also did well and broke a personal record, ending with a time of 16:50.

Hudelson was happy with his performance at the Cat Classic and is optimistic for what the rest of the season holds.

“I thought I did really well,” Huddleson said. “I PR’d by 30 seconds again for the second week in a row, and everything is looking up for De Soto cross country right now.”

Freshman Jordan Zade led the varsity girls, breaking 20 minutes for the first time with a PR time of 19:39. Senior Gabby Collins placed 12th overall, with a time of 20:08. Following close on her heels was sophomore Lamyah Ricks in 13th with a time of 20:16.

The morning of the meet, there had been intermittent showers which lasted through the majority of the meet. Hudelson didn’t let the rain stop his success and persevered through the wet course.

“During the meet it was a little wet, but as long as you were wearing your spikes, it was all good,” said Hudelson.

The team is making great strides towards getting a large amount of runners to State, and they hope to continue breaking PR’s and knocking off seconds.

“As a team I think our long term goal is applying for State and placing when we get there,” Hudelson said.