PLATTEVILLE — You couldn’t have asked for a better day.

After nearly a week of unseasonably warm temperatures, conditions were perfect for Saturday’s 50th annual Platteville Dick McKichan Cross Country Invitational with sunny skies, a slight breeze and temperatures in the 50s.

The Platteville boys raced to a fifth-place team finish in the loaded 12-team boys’ Division 1 race. The shorthanded Platteville girls placed ninth out of 13 teams.

“We had beautiful weather and great competition from Southwest Wisconsin,” said Hillmen head coach Rob Serres. “It was an extraordinary day for cross country.”

Junior Jace Serres again paced the Platteville boys, placing 17th overall out of 153 boys, and 12th in Division 1 with a time of 16:59.0. Junior Calvin Wernimont also earned a ribbon coming in 35th overall at 17;33.5. Sophomore Miles Steckling (46th, 17:54.0), junior Alex Sonsalla (52nd, 18:03.1), senior Logan Henry (58th, 18:10.5) and junior Lucas Johnson (73rd, 18:27.5) rounded out the Platteville boys varsity lineup.

The Hillmen placed fifth with 150 points behind champion Dodgeville/Mineral Point (45), Monroe (58), McFarland (61) and Sauk Prairie (117).

“The boys team had one of the best time splits, one through five, that we have had all season, at just over a minute,” said Serres. “The boys are really starting to pack it up, and know that we need to get even better in the next few weeks. It was a great meet overall placing fifth in this outstanding field. The top three teams are all rated in the top 10.”

The Platteville girls were without junior Julia Kasper, who has not recovered from the effects of heat exhaustion at last week’s Midwest Invitational in Janesville, but still battled to a ninth-place team finish with 190 points.

McFarland (79) ran away with the girls’ D1 title. Lodi edged Dodgeville/Mineral Point 126–127 for second-place. 

Freshman Harmony Bell (21:09.8) and senior Morgan Wehnke (21:50.5) led the Platteville girls. Bell finished 29th overall (out of 148 runners) and 16th in Division 1, while Wehnke placed 49th overall and 29th in D1 to earn ribbons.

Juniors Cori Kettler (73rd, 22:53.1), Lauren Becker (76th, 22:55.1) and Kaycie Wagner (103rd, 24:00.8), and sophomores Alexis Thompson (87th, 23:15.2) and Mia Bernhardt (88th, 23:18.0) rounded out the Platteville girls’ varsity.

“We had some girls really step it up, namely, Lauren Becker, Alexis Thompson, and Mia Bernhardt, to give the girls a ninth place finish,” said Serres.

Sophomore Cal Udelhofen (seventh, 18:22) and junior Tyler Moss (ninth, 18:32) both medaled in the boys’ JV race to lead the Platteville JV to a second-place finish out of 14 complete teams.

Sophomore Brittni Meis (eighth, 23:20) and senior Hanna Langmeier (ninth, 23:20) both medaled in the girls’ JV race to lead the Platteville girls to a third-place finish out of 11 teams.

Platteville will close out the regular season Saturday at the 25th annual Albany Baertschi Invitational. The Hillmen will then travel to Dodgeville for the Southwest Wisconsin Conference meet on Oct. 12.

50th annual Dick McKichand Platteville Invitational

(from Saturday, Sept. 23 @ Janesville)

(Girls, 5,000 meters)

Division 1 team scores: 1.McFarland 79 , Lodi 126, 3.Dodgevile/Mineral Point 127, 4.Unio Grove 128, 5.Sauk Prairie 139, 6.Brodhead/Juda 148, 7.Monroe 151, 8.Madison Edgewood 173, 9.Platteville 190, 10.Mount Horeb 195, 11.Evansville 211, 12.River Valley 341.

Top individuals: 1.Lydia Murphy (Lancaster) 19:04.6, 2.Abby Martin (Union Groe) 19:43.9, 3.Madelynn McIntyre (Brodhead/Juda) 19:47.6, 4.Isabelle Clary (Lodi) 19:49.5, 5.Kristin Muench (Lancaster) 20:04.6.

Platteville: 29(16).Harmony Bell 21:09.8, 49(29).Morgan Wehnke 21:50.5, 73(44).Cori Kettler 22:53.1, 76(45).Lauren Becker 22:55.1, 87(53).Alexis Thompson 23:15.2, 88(54).Mia Bernhardt 23:18.0, 103(62).Kaycie Wagner 24:00.8.

(Boys, 5,000 meters)

Division 1 team scores: 1.Dodgeville/Mineral Point 45, 2.Monroe 58, 3.McFarland 61, 4.Sauk Prairie 117, 5.Platteville 150, 6.Mount Horeb 157, 7.Union Grove 202, 8.Lodi 208, 9.Southwestern/Cuba City/Benton 209, 10.Brodhead/Juda 264, 11.Evansville 282, 12.River Valley 287.

Top individuals: 1.Drake Ingold (Monroe) 15:59.6, 2.Andrew Pahnke (McFarland) 16:08.8, 3.Tanner Maier (Lodi) 16:23.9, 4.Payton Heinberg (Darlington) 16:26.4, 5.Dylan Scace (Monroe) 16:30.7. 

Platteville: 17(12).Jace Serres 16:59.0, 35(26).Calvin Wernimont 17:33.5, 46(35).Jacob Sherer 17:54.0, 47(36).Alex Sonsalla 17:55.0, 52(45).John Cramer 18:03.1, 58(41).Logan Henry 18:10.5, 73(56).Lucas Johnson 18:27.5.