Cross country runners from Luverne, Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth and Adrian-Edgerton received a preview of things to come during the Murray County Central Invitational in Slayton Tuesday.
With Slayton being the site of next month's Section 3A meet, the three programs from the Star Herald coverage area took advantage of an opportunity to test the course that will stage the most important meet of the season.
A-E fielded complete teams for both varsity races, and H-BC-E put together its first boys' varsity team of the year for the meet.
Luverne competed as incomplete teams in both varsity attractions.
A-E edged out H-BC-E 65-89 to take second place in the team standings behind MCC, which scored 50 points.
Zach Hadler led the way for the Harriers by placing third with a time of 18:03.
Jason Eickhoff (fifth in 18:19), Wade Ulmer (10th in 18:40), Jake Salter (24th in 19:27) and Derek Vastenhout (31st in 19:39) contributed to A-E's team tally.
Paul Honermann and Todd Alberty finished 34th and 48th in 19:42 and 20:45 without influencing the scoring.
Brad Haak ran a strong race for the Patriots by placing second in 18:02.
Tyler Bush (16th in 19:09), Matt Buck (19th in 19:15) and Nathan Fick (35th in 19:44) joined Haak in the varsity race.
Luverne was one runner short of fielding a complete varsity squad.
Jesse Kuhlman paced the Cardinals by placing 23rd in 19:23.
Tony Kopp (25th in 19:33), Nick Otten (41st in 20:16) and Jeff Luethje (53rd in 24:29) also ran for LHS.
The A-E girls placed fourth out of five teams in varsity competition.
Krissi Thier led the Harriers by placing 19th in 18:04.
Kelly Banck (21st in 18:12), Sarah Kruger (23rd in 18:39), Ashley Diller (25th in 18:47) and Lacey Heitkamp (27th in 18:59) padded A-E's team tally.
Ashley Henning placed 35th in 20:36 without influencing the scoring.
Luverne's Sadie Dietrich placed ninth in 17:12 during the varsity race.
Here is a look at the varsity team standings and the rest of the individual results for Luverne, H-BC-E and A-E from the MCC Invitational.
Boys' standings: MCC 50, A-E 65, H-BC-E 89.
Girls' standings: Jackson County Central 38, Southwest Star Concept-Sioux Valley-Round Lake-Brewster 45, MCC 53, A-E 95, Worthington 115.
Junior varsity boys
Luverne: Kevin Klay, 21st, 16:25.
A-E: Jesse Vande Kieft, 14:20, no place available; Jonathon Beukelman, 13th, no time available; Paul Poppen, 15th, 15:07; Kelly Seeman, 19th, 15:31.
Junior varsity girls
Luverne: Nicole Cronquist, ninth, 16:04; Suzanne Gluf, 14th, 17:04.
A-E: Jamie Koehne, 20th, 19:25.
Junior high boys
Luverne: Ruston Aaker, first, 6:20; Michael Nelson, 13th, 7:06; Travis Halfmann, 21st, 7:24.
A-E: Brandon Bullerman, seventh, 6:37; Joey Bullerman, 19th, 7:22; Marcus Uithoven, 38th, 9:25; Aldon Vaselaar, 42nd, 10:51.
H-BC-E: Kale Wiertzema, fifth, 6:28; Derek Haak, 16th, 7:13; Travis Broesder, 14th, 7:06; Justin Hinks, 39th, 9:27.
Junior high girls
Luverne: Victoria Arends, third, 6:57; Amanda Saum, sixth, 7:14; Breanna Studer, 13th, 7:43; Jessica Willers, 22nd, 8:26; Michelle Riddle, 27th, 9:40.
A-E: Samantha Ferguson, ninth, 7:25; Sidney Minor, 12th, 7:48; Abbey Henning, 15th, 7:53; Jenny Weiss, 23rd, 8:56.