South Tama’s Cade Rosenberger (center) sets his watch at the beginning of the boys varsity race in Montezuma last Thursday. Rosenberger is flanked by Jonathan Meyer (left) and Kaden Kopsa (right). The boys varsity team finished as the team champion with all seven of their runners finishing in the top 15. -- Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker

Rounding the corner toward the postseason, South Tama’s boys cross country team is putting the pieces together at just the right time.

The Trojans cracked the Iowa Association of Track Coaches rankings for the first time in school history last week, coming in ranked 19th in the 3A standings.

Although they dropped off the most recent Week 7 rankings, the team still put in a strong performance last Thursday at the Montezuma Invitational.

South Tama won the boys meet with a score of 32, which was 20 points ahead the runner-up North Mahaska.

Tommy Tyynismaa was the individual champion with a time of 17:17 and teammate James Brant came in second with a time of 17:33.

Tommy Tyynismaa runs alongside Bryson Grove of English Valleys on Oct. 7 at the Montezuma Invitational. Tyynismaa eventually overtook the field to win the race with a time of 17:17. The sophomore is hoping to make a return to the state meet after qualifying last year and running in 96th place out of 134. -- Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker

Two more Trojans came across in the top ten including Trusten Rosenberger (19:13) and Braxten Rohrs (19:17).

Rounding out the varsity lineup was Jonathan Meyer in 11th place (19:17), Kaden Kopsa in 12th place (19:21) and Cade Rosenberger in 14th place (19:50).

On the girls side, only three teams fielded enough runners to compete for the team title.

South Tama finished third as a team behind Collins-Maxwell and Montezuma.

JoJo Tyynismaa was the overall girls champion with a time of 21:48.

JoJo Tyynismaa captured the Montezuma Invitational girls championship with a time of 21:48 last Thursday. Tyynismaa has led the STC girls squad this season and will look to break through into the state meet in hopes of adding cross country to her state qualifying resume that holds several trips to Des Moines for state track and field. -- Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker

Not far behind was teammate Mary Kate Frakes in third with a time of 22:23.

Further along the South Tama lineup was Kayla Heck (14th), Maeley Elsbury (16th), Alexis Crouch (19th), Maribel Castanon (20th) and Abigail Chyma (21st).

South Tama on Thursday traveled to Solon to compete in the WaMaC conference meet along with 12 other schools including a host of ranked teams across boys and girls competition.

On Oct. 20 the Trojans will head back to Solon to run in the 3A district meet that will determine qualifiers for the State Meet in Fort Dodge.

Teams competing against South Tama include Assumption Catholic, Benton, Central DeWitt, Fort Madison, Keokuk, Maquoketa, Marion, Mount Pleasant, Marion, Mount Vernon, Notre Dame/West Burlington, Solon and Washington.

Mary Kate Frakes heads down the finish line at the Montezuma Invitational on Oct. 7. The South Tama girls placed third in team standings with Frakes finishing third with a time of 22:23. -- Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker

At the district meet the first three teams, plus the first 15 individual place winners will qualify for the state meet.