WELLS – Things did not turn out as planned, as hoped, or even as well as last year for the NRHEG girls’ track and field team.

But much of it was out of the Panthers’ control.

With senior standout Camille Kyte sidelined with mononucleosis, the Panthers put together an inspired effort but fell short of defending their championship in Tuesday’s True Team Section 2A meet at Wells.

“We did everything we could tonight,” said co-coach Duey Ferber. “We had personal records in over half of our events.”

Cedar Mountain finished atop the 12-team field with 607 points. The Panthers had 547.5, United South Central 512, Montgomery-Lonsdale 494.5, Minnesota Valley Lutheran 475 , Belle Plaine 430.5, Madelia-Truman 359.5, Hayfield 358, Blooming Prairie 349.5, Mankato Loyola 348.5 and Glenville-Emmons 156.

“Cedar Mountain has a very strong team and will do well at the state meet,” said Ferber, whose Panthers were rated No. 3 in the state in Class A. “I am extremely proud of our girls. They kept their chins up and went hard.”

The Panthers had three firsts.

Nicole Lonning won the shot put at 39-2, Kelsie Hansen took the high jump at 5-0, and Kalisha Anthony cleared 9-6 to win the pole vault.

The top relay was the 4×100, where Anthony, Alyssa Braaten, Brandis Hagen and Alison Anderson teamed for second place. Lonning was second in the discus, Anderson second in the 100.

Other top-seven NRHEG places: Hansen, third, 110 hurdles and fifth, triple jump; 4×800 relay, sixth (Melissa Barber, Melissa Maurer, April Bayerkohler and Jessica Brouwers); 4×200 relay, sixth (Anthony, Hagen, Ashley Misgen and Hansen); Misgen, sixth, 300 hurdles; Mackenzie Tappe, seventh, triple jump and Megan Groskreutz, seventh, pole vault.

The NRHEG boys were eighth out of 11 teams with 290 points. Maple River won with 601.

Sonny Berg was the Panthers’ top finisher, taking second in the 300 hurdles and third in the 100 and 200. Matt Reiter, Tim Rysavy, Brian Bos and John Coffield were third in the 4×800 in a school-record 9:00.7. Bos was third in the 800, Reiter sixth in the 3200.

“The boys ran hard,” said co-coach Mike Weber. “Several personal bests were recorded.”