The North Butler, West Fork and Belmond-Klemme-CGD cross country teams will compete for all-conference honors at the Top of Iowa Conference meet hosted by Newman Catholic in Mason City on Thursday. The will also provide quality competition prep for next week’s state qualifying meet.
In the girls competition, West Fork’s Mackenna Dick enters the meet with the 13th fastest time in the conference at 21:27. BK-CGD’s Lila Swenson has recorded the 17th fastest time in the conference at 21:56. Faith Eberline paces North Butler with a time of 22:19.
In the boys competition, North Butler’s Ezra Almelien enters the meet with the third fastest time in the conference at 16:33, followed by teammates Brady Henning at 17:11 (eighth fastest) and Trager Pecha at 17:23 (14th fastest). BK-CGD is led by Nolan Muhlenbruch with a top time of 18:54. West Fork’s Kaden Graf enters with a team best time of 18:55.
North Butler Head Coach Kirk Clark highlights the team’s familiarity with the course and where the boys stand in the team race.
“We have run that at the beginning of the year and then at end of the year, the last couple years. Our kids have run it quite a bit. I think they’re ready for it and they know what to expect there,” says Clark. “The boys know they have a chance. They’re good. They are really starting to mesh. My message to them is take care of themselves, keep working hard but take care of your bodies, be ready for that next big race and do your best.”
West Fork Boys Head Coach Caleb Hovenga notes the level of competition in the conference this season.
“I can’t believe how absolutely loaded our conference has been this year. I think the last time I saw rankings come out, we have four to five teams that are all ranked in their respective classes. A couple of the schools that are more our size, West Hancock, North Butler, we see an awful lot of as well. We like to compete with those guys,” says Hovenga. “If we’re competing with a couple of ranked teams, we do feel like we’re right there in the mix. Not necessarily to win the conference, but I do think that we can be for sure top half, if not top third.”
The varsity portion of the meet is scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m. with the girls race followed by the boys race at approximately 4:30 p.m.
