PHOTO BY TROY HYDE/NEWTON NEWS - Members of the East Marshall boys’ cross country team display their new state banner after Friday’s qualifying meet in Guthrie Center.

GUTHRIE CENTER — East Marshall had to wait one day longer than most high school teams in Iowa to compete in its state-qualifying cross country, with the AC/GC event postponed from Thursday to Friday due to inclement weather.

It didn’t matter, though — the Mustangs still punched their ticket to state.

The East Marshall boys finished second in the 13-team event with 73 points and four top-20 finishes to qualify for the state meet once again. Two Mustang girls made state as individuals.

Leading the notable finishers was Joseph Terrones in third place. The sophomore finished with a time of 17:46.67. Hunter Hughlette ran in 10th place with a time of 18:36.44, freshman Kaleb Grant finished 17th and ran a time of 18:55.83 and Patrick Rayburn followed close by with an 18th-place finish and 18:56.72 race time.

The girls’ team finished sixth in the standings with a score of 156, 50 points behind third-place Collins-Maxwell. Mkenzie Robinson and Ellie Hull finished in sixth and seventh place, respectively, to qualify for state as individuals. Robinson finished the race in 21:28.11, while Hull crossed the line in 22:11.46.

The Mustangs’ qualifiers will take to the Fort Dodge course for State on Saturday, Oct. 31.