SISTERS — Early on this season, Crook County had not faced a cross-country course like what it saw at the Outlaw Invite on Saturday.

The Cowboys and Cowgirls had only competed in the Jere Breese Memorial Ranch Stampede in Prineville and the Three Course Challenge in Seaside — two races known for difficult tracks. On Saturday, however, Crook County got its first crack at a flat, fast course. And the Prineville runners took full advantage. Particularly the boys.

With Liam Pickhardt and Nathan Carmack finishing 2-3 on a cloudy morning at Sisters Middle School, the Cowboys finished with 34 points to top the five-team boys standings. In doing so, Pickhardt (17 minutes, 54.2 seconds) and Carmack (17:57.8) turned in the top times among Tri-Valley Conference runners.

“That makes our boys look like they’ve got a good shot at state,” Crook County coach Tracy Smith said. “I’m happy with that.”

Ridgeview, which was second with 52 points, was led by Brennan Buckley-Noonan’s first-place finish in the 45-runner field. Buckley-Noonan completed the 5,000-meter course in 17:38.1, while Jacob Kinzer placed ninth for the Ravens. Patrick Krevi was 21st for Sisters, which rounded out the team standings.

On the girls’ side, Ridgeview’s Whitney Gieschen paced the 43-runner field with a time of 21:28.1. With her sister Hailey taking sixth, the Ravens had 63 points to finish only behind Junction City (45 points) in the five-team standings.

Maggie Kasberger led the Cowgirls with a third-place showing, and Irene Morales took seventh for Crook County, which was third with 73 points.

“She’s way ahead of where she was last year,” Smith said of Kasberger. “I think she could probably challenge to possibly win the district if she continues to progress the way she is.”

Sisters, which was fourth, was led by 10th- and 11th-place finishes by McKenzie Banks and Anna Bartlett, respectively.