As the high school cross country regular season heads toward the finish line, both Norwalk teams are hopeful that today’s Fort Dodge Invitational is a precursor of things to come. 

The Warrior girls and boys squads will compete this afternoon at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course, which is also the site of the Class 4A State Cross Country Championships on November 1. The girls varsity race is scheduled for 5:25 p.m. and the boys will race at 5:55. A field of nearly 30 schools is expected.

The Norwalk boys are ranked 12th in Class 4A and will be seeking a seventh consecutive state meet berth later this month. The Warriors placed second at Southeast Polk in their most recent competition last Thursday. Senior Teegan Kralik is listed eighth in this week’s 4A individual rankings.

The Norwalk girls, who qualified three individuals for last year’s state meet and narrowly missed advancing as a team, are ranked 10th in Class 4A. Freshman Hannah Schmitz is ranked 20th. The Warriors placed fourth at last week’s Southeast Polk Invite.

Both Norwalk squads will also compete in Tuesday’s Little Hawkeye Conference Meet at Pickard Park in Indianola. Class 4A State Qualifying Meets are set for Wednesday, October 22.