The Columbus Wildcat cross county teams are getting a head start to their 2015 season. The Wildcats are the first KCII area school to begin cross county competitions, opening the season tonight in the Mount Vernon Invitational.

The teams Columbus will race against tonight include: Benton Community, Center Point-Urbana, Davenport North, Dubuque Hempstead, Louisa-Muscatine, Springville, Vinton-Shellsburg, Waverly-Shell Rock, West Delaware, and West Liberty.

Head cross county coach Steve Riley says today’s race will be a good early season test for his runners, “We like to start the year with a couple of pretty tough meets.” Riley said, “Just to get the kids use to the idea that they can be really good.”

The Wildcats return one state qualifier on the boys team in senior Josh Keller, while the girls’ team returns their top three runners from last season in seniors Ashley Canny and Grace Chapman along with sophomore Jenessa Carpenter.

The race is set to begin at 5 p.m. tonight at Mount Vernon High School.