Geneseo’s boys cross country team opened its invitational schedule with a strong runner-up finish Monday, Aug. 24, at the Moline Early Season Opener at Empire Park in Hampton.

The Maple Leafs finished with 72 points, trailing only Rock Island, which won the nine-team meet with 49. Moline placed third with 76, just four points behind Geneseo. Quincy followed with 84 and United Township with 108. The field also included Alleman, Galesburg, Riverdale and Rockridge.

Junior Henley Bourne led the Maple Leafs, finishing third overall in 15:29- a personal best.

Greyson Claerhout gave Geneseo a second runner inside the top 10, placing eighth in 16:40.

Freshmen Will Ehlert and Henry Woodward followed closely together. Ehlert finished 16th in 17:13, while Woodward was 17th in 17:17. Both performances were listed as personal bests.

Freshman Kyle Wirth completed Geneseo's scoring five, placing 28th in 18:01, also a personal best.

Those finishes of 3-8-16-17-28 produced Geneseo's 72-point team score.

Junior Kael McCord was right behind Wirth, finishing 30th in 18:02, while freshman Ephraim Mueller placed 38th in 18:48.

The meet was Geneseo's first invitational of the season following the team's Aug. 18 Rust Buster. The Maple Leafs are scheduled to compete next at the Annawan Titan Invite on Aug. 31.

Complete Geneseo Results

3. Henley Bourne — 15:29 — PB
8. Greyson Claerhout — 16:40
16. Will Ehlert — 17:13 — PB
17. Henry Woodward — 17:17 — PB
28. Kyle Wirth — 18:01 — PB
30. Kael McCord — 18:02
38. Ephraim Mueller — 18:48 — PB
Rylan Carlson — 21:12
Hunter Olson — 21:53 — PB
Cole Henson — 22:01
Connor Runty — 22:59
Phoenix Sottos — 24:43 — PB
Ian McCord — 25:10 — PB
Adler Vanopdorp — 28:48 — PB