Montgomery County junior Austyn Spinks competes in the Class 3, District 3 meet on Nov. 1 at Linn. Theo Tate photo

For the first time in eight years, the Montgomery County cross country team will not have a runner in Columbia.

The Wildcats’ cross country season ended on Nov. 1 as six of their runners didn’t qualify out of the Class 3, District 3 championship meet at Linn High School. Junior Austyn Spinks was the team’s top finisher, placing 38th with a 23:32 in the girls race and coming up eight places short of a state berth.

MCHS’ other competitors were senior Katlyn Kolling (51st, 24:21.40, girls race), junior Jacob Roesner (51st, 19:39.50), freshman Anna Kay Johnson (58th, 24:54.6, girls race), junior Olivia Spurgeon (65th, 25:38.20, girls race) and junior Noah Lacy (124th, 23:30.90).

The Wildcats’ seven-year streak of having at least one state qualifier ended at districts. Spinks, who competed at the state track meet in May, said she was still pleased with the efforts from all of the runners.

“This year was good,” Spinks said. “I’m proud of our team. We had a really strong faith this year. We grew closer to God than I think we ever had this year. God is the one who got us through it, not anybody on the team individually.”

Spurgeon said her girls team had a strong season despite not having a full team for most of the year. Two weeks ago, the squad had four all-Eastern Missouri Conference selections, including Spurgeon.

“It was kind of disappointing that we didn’t get to compete as a team at conference because we could have had a really good place, but it was so fun,” Spurgeon said.

Almost two months ago, Spinks and Spurgeon celebrated medals at the Linn Invitational as they placed 12th and 18th, respectively, in the girls race.

At districts, both runners improved their times from the Linn Invitational on Sept. 13. Spinks dropped her time by more than a minute from the Linn meet, while Spurgeon shaved off six seconds. But their efforts weren’t enough to qualify for the state cross country meet for the first time.

Spurgeon, who competed at districts for the third time, said running at Linn is not easy.

“This course is rough,” Spurgeon said. “There are three hills in the back that you have to run up twice because it’s two laps. Those are rough. We get to run downhill, but it’s really hilly. So it makes it kind of difficult.”

Spinks came into districts with a boost of confidence. A week before, she ran a personal-best time of 21:29 in her 24th-place finish at the Bowling Green Invitational. But Spinks was battling knee issues for most of the district race.

“I was just in pain,” said Spinks, who made her second district appearance. “I didn’t do anything about it. Hopefully, next year, I can get to state. But now that I have that drive and I know I can make it, I know I should be able to accomplish that goal next year.”

Kolling, who competed in her final high school cross country race, participated in districts for the third time. Roesner ran in districts for the second year in a row and Johnson and Lacy made their first district appearances.