The Regina boys cross country team doesn't always measure success in wins and losses.

The Regals tend to take the long view, marking the improvement at each meet toward the ultimate goal of a state title.

That's what they did at Tuesday's West High Invitational. Regina took third place with 79 points, losing only to Cedar Rapids Kennedy and Marshalltown, which each scored 44 points. Kennedy won the meet on the sixth-runner tiebreaker.

"Our boys are getting better and better, and our pack is getting better and better," Regina coach Bob Brown said. "We're going to be where we want to be by the end of the year."

Marshalltown is currently ranked sixth in Class 4A, and Kennedy is No. 11. The Class 1A Regals faced the same two teams two weeks ago at the Marion Invitational.

Regina gained 26 points on Marshalltown and 12 points on Kennedy on Tuesday, and there were two more teams at Tuesday's meet than at Marion.

"We talk about getting better, and that's getting better," Brown said.

Tom Ries led Regina with 10th place in 17:22 over 5 kilometers.

"I was pretty happy with how things went considering we're running against a bunch of 3A and 4A schools that are bigger than us," Ries said.

The Regals' pack finished within 11 places and 27 seconds of each other. Michael Sinkey was 14th for Regina, John Dwyer was 16th, Tyler Sullivan was 19th, Matt Larew was 20th and Chase Wombacher was 21st.

West's boys finished right behind Regina in fourth place with 112 points.

Mike Clancy led the Trojans with third place in a season-best time of 16:28.

"I think we're all pretty happy with our race," Clancy said. "We're just putting up a fight, trying to stick with those ranked teams."

Alex Kharbush was 11th for West, Nick Peterson was 25th, Painjgi Sunday was 35th, Jake Mize was 38th, and Daniel Novak was 41st.

"Our guys are developing," West coach Mike Parker said. "We just have to get our fifth runner up there. Our fifth runner is what's going to make a big difference for us."

West High Invitational
VARSITY BOYS
  Team scores - 1. Cedar Rapids Kennedy 44; 2. Marshalltown 44; 3. Regina 79; 4. West High 112; 5. Mount Vernon-Lisbon 122; 6. Davenport North 172; 7. Ottumwa 174; 8. Mount Pleasant 209; 9. Pekin 238.
  Individual leaders - 1. Kang Yol (M) 16:23; 2. Drew Craig (CRK) 16:25; 3. Mike Clancy (W) 16:28; 4. Corbin Miller (M) 16:42; 5. Adam Hairston (CRK) 17:02.
  REGINA - 10. Tom Ries 17:22; 14. Michael Sinkey 17:36; 16. John Dwyer 17:38; 19. Tyler Sullivan 17:47; 20. Matt Larew 17:48; 21. Chase Wombacher 17:49; 50. Patrick McCue 19:15;
  WEST HIGH - 3. Clancy 16:28; 11. Alex Kharbush 17:25; 25. Nick Peterson 17:58; 35. Painjgi Sunday 18:22; 38. Jake Mize 18:38; 41. Daniel Novak 18:46; 48. Keene Kernstine 19:11.

VARSITY GIRLS
  Team scores - 1. West High 29; 2. Marshalltown 89; 3. Cedar Rapids Kennedy 106; 4. Regina 112; 5. Ottumwa 114; 6. Mount Pleasant 146; 7. Pekin 180; 8. Davenport North 184.
  Individual leaders - 1. Sarah Wickman (W) 14:59; 2. Janet Dobyns (W) 15:13; 3. Annie Riplinger (DN) 15:42; 4. Lauren Erickson (MP) 15:46; 5. Claire Hall (W) 15:47.
  WEST HIGH - 1. Wickman 14:59; 2. Dobyns 15:13; 5. Hall 15:47; 9. Julia Frudden 16:11; 12. Jocelyn Figg 16:30; 13. Kira Spencer 16:31; 21. Analisa Russo 17:01;
  REGINA - 15. Kristen Stauffer 16:45; 20. Lauren Ruppert 16:58; 22. Katie Ries 17:06; 24. Evelyn Ross 17:11; 31. Mandy Duffey 17:27; 34. Melia Raitt 17:34; 39. Meg Carney 17:45