Austin eighth grader Madison Overby won her third meet of the season and the Packers girls cross country team won their first meet in quite some time as they took first in out of four Big Nine teams at the Mankato Invite Tuesday.

“It was the first time the girls have won a meet in a while and it was nice to see them excited,” Austin head coach Tony Einertson said. “They’re going to be up there in the Big Nine this year and it’ll be fun.”

Overby took a different approach to the race as she started faster than she had all season. She was winded by the end of the race, but still finished 15 seconds ahead of her second place teammate McKenzie Besel.

“Madison looked extremely strong. She paid for her fast start in the end, but we want her to get used to starting faster for sections,” Austin head coach Tony Einertson said. “McKenzie keeps getting better, faster and stronger.”

Haley Splinter, who has been battling a cold, took fifth and Justice Tabor took sixth for Austin.

The Packer girls finished 18 points ahead of second place Rochester John Marshall.

The Austin boys finished in fourth place at the Mankato Invite as Nate Schwab took second and Andrew Baker was sixth.

Austin was missing two runners as Dylan Diekman is likely out for the season with an ankle injury and Caleb Asay missed the meet with an injury.

“We’re an awful young team and sometimes it shows,” Einertson said. “It’s a growing process.”

RESULTS

Austin girls:A Madison Overby (first, 15:10.6); McKenzie Besel (second, 15:25.9); Haley Splinter (fifth, 15:54.7); Justice Tabor (sixth, 16:28.1); Anissa Zynda (20th, 17:57.6); Jenna Grabau (24th, 18:25.3); Martha McDeromott (25th, 18:33.2)

Austin boys: Nate Schwab (second, 16:58.9); Andrew Baker (sixth, 17:30.4); Mason Wollersheim (16th, 18:18.16); Gabe Ramirez (35th, 19:03.0); Sandaval Lopez (39th, 19:14.7); Micha Kelly (41st, 19:18.5)