After a setback from Mother Nature, opening day has arrived for the Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk and Columbus Wildcat cross country teams as they travel to the campus of the University of Iowa Monday for the Iowa City West Invitational. This event was originally scheduled for last Thursday.
Both Golden Hawk boys and girls teams enter the season listed among the best in the state in Class 2A.
The Golden Hawk girls sit atop the first 2A team rankings of the season issued by the Iowa Association of Track Coaches. The Hawks were a state meet team a season ago. Although their string of five state 2A team titles stopped last year, they finished fifth as a club, led by junior Danielle Hostetler’s third straight individual state championship. Hostetler holds the top spot in the individual 2A poll. She was ranked No. 1 in each poll last season. She is joined by senior teammate Abby Fleming at No. 10.
The Golden Hawk boys are No. 7 in the first 2A team rankings. Mid-Prairie qualified for state last season as a team, finishing 13th in Fort Dodge with the top finish coming from Emmett Swartzentruber in 20th. A pair of Golden Hawks are ranked individually, with Swartzentruber entering his junior season at No. 13 and junior Preston Yutzy No. 26 in 2A.
The Wildcat boys are ranked No. 20 in 1A to begin 2023. Damian Vergara leads the charge for Columbus, ranked No. 22 individually in 1A to start the year after an appearance at state a season ago and a 49th place finish in Fort Dodge.
Joining the Hawks and ‘Cats today in Iowa City are Bettendorf, Dubuque Senior, Iowa City High, Iowa City Liberty, Wapello and the home Trojans and Women of Troy.