Vivienne Siefker did it all for the Seymour Lady Owls cross country team, not only this fall but during her career.

This fall, she was Seymour’s No. 1 runner throughout the season. She led the Owls to a fifth-place finish in the Hoosier Hills Conference meet and earned all-HHC honors. She placed sixth in the sectional to help the Owls place fifth as a team to advance to the Evansville Regional.

She placed in the top 25 to earn a trip to the state finals in Terre Haute.

Coach Spencer Sunbury said Siefker ran three of the best races he ever saw during the final three races of the season.

Sunbury said at the beginning of the season, he wasn’t sure if she was going to be able to qualify for state.

“She kept with it, she kept plugging away and her last three races at the end of the season were the best three races that I’ve seen her run in high school,” he said. “They weren’t PRs. She didn’t get her PR this season, but the races that she ran were incredible races. She had to step up and run the exact races that she did just to keep moving on. She does everything in a positive way.”

On Thursday night, Siefker was named Seymour’s most valuable runner during an awards program at the high school. This is the third straight year for her to receive that award.

Her best time this fall was 19:48 in the sectional. She ran 19:52 in the state competition to place 152nd out of 250 girls.

“She has been a big part of the team for the past four years,” Sunbury said.

Other Lady Owls receiving special awards were senior Jenifer Hankins, junior Brylee Ramsey and sophomores Lauren Dowell and Alexis Stuckwisch, and Gracie Adams was HHC honorable mention.

Hankins received the coach’s award.

“She supported the girls with encouragement. She motivated them through her actions,” Sunbury said. “This girl exemplifies what running is truly about. She runs for the right reasons.”

Ramsey was named the most improved runner. Sunbury said she ran her first race of the season in 30 minutes and improved to 26:06 at the end of the season.

Sunbury said Ramsey struggled to complete the first workout of the fall but said she enjoyed it.

“Right there told me she is a kid that likes pushing herself,” he said.

Sunbury said Ramsey became stronger this fall, and he feels that will help her for track and field in the spring.

Dowell received the Spirit of the Owls (or mental attitude) award. Sunbury said she knocked 1:34 off her time during the season with her best time being 22:15.

Sunbury said Dowell was honored for not only the success she had but also for the person she is.

“She doesn’t seem to let social business and all that stuff get in her way,” he said. “She is very grounded, and I think that is what helped her persevere and get through this summer and this season and have the success that she did.”

Stuckwisch received the newcomer of the year award, which goes to a first-year runner. She ran her best time of the season, 25:19, at Brown County.

Sunbury said she could have been under 25 minutes had it not been for leg injuries she suffered during the middle of the season.

“Alexis learned a lesson that injuries aren’t going to define you as a runner,” Sunbury said, noting she improved during the second half of the season.

The Owls began the season by winning the Seymour Invitational. They were third in the sectional and 22nd in the regional.

“It was another exciting and successful season,” Sunbury said.