(Photo by Jeff Hasselmann) Sioux Central's Andrew Saunders trails West Lyon's Henry Bosler Thursday, Sept. 4, 2008, during the Okoboji Invitational at Woodlyn Hills Golf Course. Saunders helped the Rebels to a second-place performance, finishing 15th overall; Bosler placed 20th. [Order this photo]

Sioux Central and Okoboji finished deadlocked with 95 points in the season-opener at Woodlyn Hills in Milford Thursday, but the Rebels claimed the runner-up spot by the sixth-man tiebreaker to finish behind meet winner Sioux Center, who dominated with 38 points.

Both the Rebels and the Pioneers placed three runners in the top 20, but it was Sioux Central who added two more top 25 finishes and a 27th-place performance from sixth runner Matt Schlitz.

"Overall I am very happy with the way we ran tonight," said Sioux Central head coach Chris Smith. "We have quite a few runners who are new to the sport of cross country."

Okoboji's top three runners all finished in the top 10, including meet champion Tyler Peterson, who sprinted past the pace cart in the final 100 meters, won the race with a time of 18:00. Milan Johnson finished sixth for the Pioneers in 18:58, and 2007 state qualifier Madison Delaney placed eighth in 19:14. Okoboji's final two runners, Matthew Ohl and Jared Ahrens, placed 30th and 50th, respectively.

Andrew Saunders led the Rebels, placing 15th in 19:48. Andrew Licther and Ethan Lindquist were also in the top 20, scoring 17th- and 18th-place finishes.

Jason Richter placed 22nd and Nelson Middendorf was 23rd for the Rebels in times of 20:39 and 20:52, respectively.

Okoboji Invitational

Team Standings

(Photo by Ryan Christoffel) Okoboji's Tyler Peterson sprints past the pace cart in the final stretch of the Okoboji Invitational at Woodlyn Hills Golf Course Thursday, Sept. 4, 2008. Peterson won the event in 18 minutes.

1. Sioux Center 38, 2. Sioux Central 95, 3. Okoboji 95, 4. Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley 110, 5. South O'Brien 139, 6. Pocahontas Area 207; West Lyon, M-M-C and Granville Spalding incomplete.

Individual Results

1. Tyler Peterson, Okoboji, 18:00; 6. Milan Johnson, Okoboji, 18:58; 8. Madison Delaney, Okoboji, 19:14; 15. Andrew Saunders, Sioux Central, 19:48; 17. Andrew Lichter, Sioux Central, 20:08; 18. Ethan Lindquist, Sioux Central, 20:09; 22. Jason Richter, Sioux Central, 20:39; 23. Nelson Middendorf, Sioux Central, 20:52; 27. Matt Schlitz, Sioux Central, 21:01; 30. Matthew Ohl, Okoboji, 21:20; 37. Dustin Patten, Sioux Central, 22:19; 50. Jared Ahrens, Okoboji, 26:39.