OTTUMWA — Blood is thicker than water — mainly because family ties run deep.

Friendships often last a lifetime, or at least for quite awhile.

For four cross country runners on Thursday evening at Wildwood Park, it was a lesson in letting go.

Pekin freshman twin sisters Brenna and Celsey Conger set aside their familia bond on Thursday night and raced toward the finish line.

Zach Baker of Eddyville-Blakesburg and Kevin Lewis of Ottumwa would have to put their friendship on hold — at least for 16 minutes.

The foursome produced a dazzling display of running talent at the Wildwood Run in Ottumwa on Thursday.

It was a frantic finish for the Conger twins, who were competing in the very first varsity meet of their lives for their sixth-ranked Panther squad, coached by Sarah Wright. Chalk this one up to Brenna as she edged her sibling by a single second at the tape in an exhilarating twin-sister duel.

“Being my sister and all, we’re both kind of competitive. I wanted her to get up with me, so I kept her coming,” said Brenna, who finished the revamped course in 15:13. “She stayed with me the whole race. I’m proud of her.”

Celsey has had to fight back and regain her health after she was involved in a car accident about a year ago. The wreck resulted in a broken pelvis, four cracked ribs, a busted shoulder blade and collar bone.

Still, she found her way amidst the light mist that dampened the course the whole day.

“In my dreams I’d figure she’d be back in the pack. I didn’t think she’d be up with me,” said Brenna. “We were neck and neck the whole race. She was right on my side, right on my tail.”

Celsey likened the race to a game of table tennis.

“It was like we were playing ping pong — it was just back-and-forth.”

Pekin had five runners in the top 10 and won the meet over second-place Ottumwa with 23 points.

Kaitlyn Spillman finished fourth (15:56) for Pekin. She was followed by Annie Jones’ seventh-place time of 16:38 and Kristen Fariss’ 16:56, good for ninth place.