A shorthanded Ankeny girls’ cross country team competed in the Southeast Polk Invitational on Thursday.
And if that wasn’t enough of a challenge, the course itself proved to be very difficult.
“The course was modified this year because of some construction on the football stadium, which resulted in the runners running two more hills than last year,” said Ankeny coach TJ Jumper. “This is the toughest course we run all year, and we were happy that many of our runners were in the range of what they ran last year at the conference meet that was held on that course.”
Ankeny, the No. 20 team in Class 4A, placed ninth among 11 squads with 220 points. The Hawkettes competed without their top two runners, Makenna Madetzke and Ainsley Kiene.
Madetzke is ninth in this week’s individual Class 4A rankings. She will likely return to the lineup for the Fort Dodge Invitational on Oct. 9.
“Our athletes are progressing well, and our training is starting to show in today’s meet,” Jumper said. “We are excited for the next three weeks.”
Third-ranked Waukee Northwest captured the team title with 33 points. The Wolves placed six runners among the top 13 finishers.
No. 6 Dallas Center-Grimes placed second with 73 points. No. 8 Waukee was third with 86.
Piper Messerly of Dallas Center-Grimes won the 5K race with a time of 18:27. She edged teammate Tenley Heidgerken by 3 seconds.
Ivy Wiegand was Ankeny’s top finisher. She placed 35th in a time of 21:34.
“We were very happy with how we ran,” Jumper said. “Ivy ran well and ran faster than she did last year at the course.”
Vanessa Wise took 43rd for the Hawkettes in 22:09. Reagan Prendergast placed 45th in 22:17, Ella Schulz was 46th in 22:20, Isabella Sullivan took 55th in 22:46, and Elin Alber finished 61st in 23:32.
“Vanessa and Bella also ran well and showed toughness,” Jumper said.