PCM boys show off depth at home cross country meet

MONROE — Last year’s PCM boys cross country team finished sixth at the district meet after climbing all the way up to second at conference.

But four of those seven runners are no longer on the varsity as the Mustangs’ depth in 2025 is the best it’s ever been in the history of the program.

That allows the PCM boys to have higher expectations this fall, and the Mustangs showed off their talents in front of their home fans at Gateway Recreation Park on Monday.

PCM, which spent time in the Class 2A rankings last week, placed six runners in the first 12 positions and won the Mustang Invitational easily. The host Mustangs scored 33 points at the top of the standings, and second-place Saydel was 42 points behind.

“It’s a lot of fun to coach these kids,” PCM head cross country coach Eric Osterhaus said. “They’re buying into the system and their hard work is paying off.”

PCM’s Heart of Iowa Activities Conference rival Saydel had two of the top three individual finishers, but the Mustangs went 4-5-6-7 to headline the meet championship.

The Eagles scored 75 points in second, while another HOIAC foe, Perry, was third with 100. Woodward-Granger (103) and Davis County (129) were next to complete the top five.

The rest of the 10-team field included Des Moines Hoover (163), the Pella Christian JV (168), BGM (208), North Mahaska (211) and Pleasantville (269)

Pella Christian’s varsity did not compete because it was coming off the Heartland Classic at Central College two days earlier.

“It really helps having the bond we have and the accountability,” PCM junior Kash Fischer said. “Being there for each other has helped us, and as much as this means to me personally, it means much more to us as a team. We’ve had a new No. 1 almost every few races. It’s been fun.”

Fischer led the Mustangs on Monday. He was fourth in the boys’ 5K race with a time of 18 minutes, 37.27 seconds.

Brenden Lahart (18:53.74), Owen Osterhaus (18:55.26) and Coby DeRaad (19:25.34) were next in fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively.

Cademon Burkett (20:11.85) was the final scoring runner in 11th and Camden Lahart (20:13.07) was closely behind as a non-scoring runner in 12th.

“It feels amazing being a part of this. We just continue to get better,” said Owen Osterhaus, who was the top finisher for PCM in the first few meets. “We have our sights set on state. It would mean a lot to be able to get there. It would help us start what we think can be a dynasty.”

Rylan Edgington (21:08.07), Charlie Ford (21:55.8), Parker DeHaai (22:14.68), Kolby Clark (22:27.64) and Isaac Miller (22:55.69) were non-scoring runners in 25th, 35th, 40th, 45th and 52nd, respectively.

Edgington, Ford and Clark were part of the Mustangs’ varsity last year. The Lahart brothers moved in from Albia and have provided the program with better depth.

“It’s been amazing meeting these new guys who help push me every day,” Brenden Lahart said. “We know we have to compete every meet to stay on the varsity. It makes the team have to work harder and get faster every meet.”

Saydel’s Gage Moreno won the boys’ race in 17:54.98 and his teammate, Jacob McPherren, finished third in 18:03.28. The Eagles placed three runners in the top eight spots.

Des Moines Hoover’s Chase Gordon (17:56.91) also came in under 18 minutes in second.

Notes: The Lahart brothers moved to Newton but are open enrolled to PCM. … The Mustang boys dropped out of the 2A rankings on Monday after not competing last week. It doesn’t change the team’s expectations though. … The course at Gateway changed from previous years. Coach Osterhaus made it more of a loop with more hills. Fischer and Owen Osterhaus agreed it’s tougher than the previous set up. “I wasn’t a real big fan of the fingers,” Coach Osterhaus said. “I’m a big-time loop guy and a big-time hills guy. If we’re going to have a cross country course let’s make it tough. This might be the toughest course they run on. I did that for a reason. I’m not looking for top times. I want competition and learning how to work through the adversity.”