It wasn't a fourth straight title, but it was encouraging.

The Pleasant Valley boys cross country team placed third in Class 4A at the Iowa state meet Saturday. Not too shabby, especially with five of the seven Spartans returning next season.

Junior Tyler Meseke fared best at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge, finishing runner-up just 4 seconds behind Burlington's Marshall Moyer.

"I know he's a really smart runner, so I just kept looking over at him and sticking with him," Meseke said of Moyer. "I felt really good. It didn't even feel like I was on PR pace at all."

But Meseke did indeed set a personal record with his 15 minute, 52-second time. It was at least 30 seconds better than any previous effort.

None of the other PV boys placed higher than 18th, but coach Erik Belby was encouraged.

"That's part of sports," he said of the third-place finish. "You're going to have days were it doesn't all go perfect, and we've been fortunate enough to have some days where it has.

"Burlington and Cedar Rapids Prairie got us at the beginning of the season and again at the end, but we definitely closed some gaps."

Bettendorf had the top local finish among 4A girls, placing fifth.

The lone area winner came in Class 2A.

Northeast senior Morgan Casey won her second straight state title, clocking in at 14:53.

It wasn't Casey's ideal time, but she won by 24 seconds.

"It was a good way to end my senior season," she said. "The wind really picked up and it got sloppy around the course, especially by end of the day."

Casey had missed a couple meets earlier in the season due to illness, but she felt fine Saturday. Her freshman teammate Emily Franks also had a strong day, placing fifth. In girls Class 1A, Clinton Prince of Peace sophomore Audrey Griffin came in runner-up for the second straight year.

Area boys teams fared well, too.

In 1A, Tipton placed fifth. In 2A, Wilton was fifth as well.

Illinois sectionals

Led by Alexsander Stojanovic's fifth-place finish, the Moline boys cross country team advanced to state after placing fifth at the Class 3A Normal Sectional. United Township's Cody Webster and Keith Sands also advanced to state. Webster was fourth.

In other boys action, Galesburg advanced to state as a team in Class 2A, while Sterling's Jacob Landis also qualified.

n In girls action, Geneseo finished third at the East Peoria Sectional to qualify for state. Danielle Dewey led the Maple Leafs with a sixth-place finish.

n In Class 3A, Moline's Haley Verbeke qualified for state with a third-place finish at the Normal Sectional.