It is hard to determine which Mount Vernon-Lisbon cross country side was more impressive at the West Delaware Invitational on Oct. 7 at Hart Ridge Golf Course in Manchester.

The boys side dominated, scoring just 19 points, led by the 1-2-3 finish of Dawson Scheil, Sawyer Feldman and Benjamin Brinkmann.

The girls side placed second, but lost by just five points to Center Point-Urbana on a night their top two runners did not compete.

“The girls did a wonderful job without the top 2 there,” MVL Coach Kory Swart said. He held out junior Evelyn Moeller to let her recover and senior Kiersten Swart with a lingering injury. “We’re just being careful.”

So instead, junior Rose Pisarik led the Mustangs, placing 11th, followed by junior Miranda Sellner (12) and senior Edith Dawson (13). Freshman Torie Johnson (18) and senior Cora Smith (24) also scored. Junior Josie Bothell was 26th.

“Rose was under 20 minutes for the second race in a row, and matched her PR,” Swart said. “Miranda and Edith ran really well, and that helped us a ton.”

Scheil, who didn’t finish his previous race, led the Mustang boys and crossed the tape in 16 minutes, 4 seconds. Brinkman, a freshman, finished right behind Feldman.

“No one would have guessed Ben would be up there that high as a freshman,” Swart said. “It speaks to how hard he’s been working.”

Armstrong, a junior, had a PR in 16:46.

“It was great for Dawson to respond like that, but really the entire team,” Swart said. “It’ll do a ton for their confidence.”

Both results should bode well for this week, when the Mustangs try to win the Wamac Invitational on Thursday, Oct. 16, at Seminole Valley Park in Cedar Rapids.

“It is championship season now,” Swart said. “Conference, District, State.”