International Falls’ girls cross country team came a point short of first place in Thursday’s Hial Pike Cross Country Meet at the Falls Country Club.

In what was the Broncos’ only home meet of this season, Warroad finished with the top team score of 84, followed by the Falls (85), Grand Rapids (89), South Ridge (109) and Hibbing (168) rounding out the top five of the 13 schools with enough runners to place in the team standings.

Sophomore Sydney Raboin had the best individual showing for the Broncos by placing fifth on the 4,000-meter course in 15 minutes, 57.8 seconds.

Three of the other four Falls’ runners who counted in the team total finished in the top 20. They included: seventh-grader Lexi Erickson, 12th in 16.24.5; sophomore Amy Auran, 13th in 16:25.4; junior Amber Harms, 19th in 16:42.3; and junior Rachel Foss, 36th in 17:42.6.

“We have five pretty good runners, and the finish between the top three has been pretty consistent all season long, so we know who they are,” said Broncos head coach Paul Hjelle. “It’s just our fourth and fifth (runners) that we need to close the gap even more on our top three, and then, boy if we can do that, we’re going to be really tough.”

In the boys competition, Falls finished fourth out of 11 schools.

Mesabi East, which captured the top four individual places, finished first in the team standings with 21, followed by Virginia (56), Eveleth-Gilbert (116), the Falls (123) and Hibbing (125) in the top five.

The top individual finish from the Bronco boys came from senior Charlie Gordon, who placed 18th after completing the 5,000-meter course in 18:24.7.

The other four Falls runners who counted in the point standings finished after the 19-minute mark, but within 16 seconds of each other. They included: sophomore Wyatt Ulrich, 25th in 19:01.7; junior Cade MacKay, 26th in 19:05.8; junior Logan Veillieux, 29th in 19:15.5; and junior Aaron Geiss, 30th in 19:17.3.

The Broncos will be back in action next Tuesday in the Iron Range Conference meet being hosted by Mesabi East. Hjelle said he expects the Falls girls team will have a good showing at the conference meet.

“We have the possibility of getting three or four in the top 15 there for All-Conference on the girls side, so that’s great,” he said.

Falls’ Section meet is set for Oct. 27 at the Cloquet Golf Course.