The big day has arrived, state qualifier cross country meets around Iowa are here. The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk boys and girls cross country teams travel to Williamsburg tonight for their class 2A meet. The Golden Hawk girls come in as heavy favorites to not only qualify, but take home the team title in class 2A. Mid-Prairie is ranked No. 1 in the state for the eighth straight week according to the latest poll from the Iowa Track and Field Coaches Association. The Golden Hawks have three ranked runners in their lineup led by Marie Hostetler at No. 1. Hostetler is the reigning River Valley Conference, state qualifier and state champion. Other ranked Golden Hawks include Mitzi Evans No. 8, and Abbagail Evans No. 23. Joining the Mid-Prairie girls tonight is a loaded field including No. 2 Williamsburg on their home course, No. 5 Davis County, Cardinal of Eldon, Central Lee, Colfax-Mingo, Danville/New London, Eddyville-Blakesburg, Louisa-Muscatine, Northeast Goose Lake, Prairie City Monroe, Pella Christian, Pleasantville, West Liberty,  and West Marshall. There are 10 ranked runners in today’s girls field.

On the boys side, the Golden Hawks come in off of a fourth place finish in the River Valley Conference Championship meet. The Hawks are going up against a tough field at Williamsburg and will be without their No. 1 runner Thaddeus Shetler due to injury. Mid-Prairie comes into the meet ranked No. 11 in the latest poll from the Iowa Track and Field Coaches Association. Joining the Golden Hawks today are No. 5 Williamsburg, No. 7 Danville/New London, Cardinal of Eldon, Central Lee, Colfax-Mingo, Davis County, Eddyville-Blakesburg, Louisa-Muscatine, Northeast Goose Lake, Prairie City Monroe, Pella Christian, Pleasantville, West Liberty and West Marshall. There are four ranked runners in the boys field. Action begins tonight at 4p.m. and continues into the evening at Williamsburg.