The Austin girls and boys cross country teams both took third place out of five teams at the Mankato West Invite Tuesday.

Two Austin sophomores led the girls’ pack as Haley Splinter was first overall, and McKenzie Besel ran a career best time to take second overall.

“Haley shook off a minor injury and ran well and McKenzie had quite an accomplishment in taking second,” Austin head coach Tony Einertson said.

Seventh-grader Madison Overby fought off an illness to take eighth overall, and the rest of Austin’s runners were out of the top-20.

“We’re a good team, but to become a better team, we’ve got to close that gap between our third and fourth runners,” Einertson said. “They’re getting closer.”

Austin was four points behind second place Mankato West and Jackson County Central won the meet.

Zach Fadness took ninth to lead the Austin boys, who were competing without some of their runners due to illness.

“We were missing a few guys, and third is a good result for us,” Einertson said. “Times were down from last year at this meet, and that’s what you want.”

The Packers were just four points behind second place John Marshall and Mankato West won the meet.

Austin boys results: Zach Fadness (ninth, 17:42); Nate Schwab (13th, 17:59.9); Max Gillen (16th, 18:16.8); Dylan Diekmann (17th, 18:22.1); Andrew Baker (22nd, 18:59.1); Gerardo Sandoval-Ortiz (23rd, 19:03.8); Finnegan Logan (27th, 19:13.12)

Austin girls results: Haley Splinter (first, 15:33.6); McKenzie Besel (second, 16:00.4); Madison Overby (eighth, 16:39.3); Kaitlyn Carrol (24th, 18:27.2); Anissa Zynda (28th, 18:27.2); Martha McDermott (30th, 18:48.0); Lauren Thompson (32nd, 18:42.2)