The Jefferson City Jays cross country team began the season Saturday by finishing in first place in the Jim Marshall Invitational at Cole County Park.
The Jays won the large school division with 30 points, followed by Helias in second with 43 points. Capital City took third with 87 points.
Helias senior Jack Crull won the boys race with a time of 16:03.25, finishing 37 seconds ahead of the second-place runner.
Tommy Roehl led the Jady with a third-place time of 16:55.13. Jefferson City's Deaken Walker was fourth, followed by Helias' Jenson Starr to round out the top five.
The Jays added three other top-10 finishes, with Blake Conrad placing sixth, Dawson Schulte taking seventh and Blaine Smallwood in 10th place to round out the team score.
For Helias, Payton Kirchhoff was 11th, followed by Logan Mathews in 12th place, Noah Voss in 14th and Grayson Knernschield in 15th.
Capital City was led by Ben Lear, who finished ninth with a time of 17:53.95. Braden Voss was also in the top 15, taking 13th place.
Blair Oaks placed seventh as a team with 208 points. Thomas McCauley led the Falcons with a 24th-place finish in 19:03.81.
In the girls large school division, the Jefferson City Lady Jays finished third in the team standings with 79 points. Helias followed in fourth place with 99 points and Capital City was fifth with 100.
Liberty sophomore Ally Kruger won the girls individual title with a time of 20:13.41.
The top area individual finishers was Blair Oaks junior Kati Schoeneberg, who came in third place with a time of 21:21.97. Capital City's Yumia Robben finished fourth in a time of 21:26.64.
Leading the Lady Jays was Jackie Hensley, who placed eighth overall with a time of 21:55.43. Helias' Alexa Lamb was ninth with a time of 22:09.27.
Also placing in the top 15 was Blair Oaks' Ansley Casey, who finished 12th. The Lady Falcons did not post a team score.
In the small school division, the California boys won the team title with 38 points. Versailles took third place with 60 points, followed by Russellville in fourth with 73.
California's Caden Kirksey won the individual title with a time of 17:58.78. Also placing in the top 15 for the Pintos were Trevor Porter (fourth), Eli Dunnaway (13th) and Colby Sommerer (15th).
Arjay Wilson led Russellville with a third-place time of 18:48.91, while Seth Newton topped Versailles with a 10th-place finish in 20:20.49.
South Callaway's Dustin Russell placed sixth in 19:54.04, while Tipton's Cory Jurgensmeyer finished 17th in 21:17.55. The Indians and the Cardinals did not place team scores.
In the girls small school division, Smithton was the only team to post a team score, finishing with 15 points.
California's Sarah Kirby won the race in a time of 22:57.00. Russellville's Meredith Tran was third in 23:59.70, followed by teammate Olivia Barnett in fourth place.
Versailles' Carmen Lemell was eighth in 25:30.82, while South Callaway was led by Karley Patrick, who was 10th in 28:14.56.