The Norwalk boys cross country runners opened their season with a team championship on Monday, outlasting three worthy opponents to win the Kirk Schmaltz Ames Invitational. The Norwalk girls finished 10th out of 11 teams at Ames while the Warrior boys golfers took 10th out of 17 teams at the Fort Dodge Invitational.

Ranked ninth in Class 4A by the Iowa Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches, the Norwalk boys showcased their depth to post a winning score of 86 on the Iowa State University Cross Country Course. Fifth-ranked West Des Moines Valley placed second with a score of 89 while No. 11 Waukee Northwest and No. 2 Ankeny both scored a 93.

Senior Noah Buhrow and junior Tony Anania placed ninth and 10th, respectively, to pace the Warriors, running nearly identical times of 15:55.1 and 15:55.2. Teegan Kralik placed 16th, Grant Wallace was 22nd and Henry Groos came in 30th.

The Norwalk girls harriers finished 10th in the team standings with a score of 285, but did a good job of pack running in their season debut. Sophomore Pearl Brown led the Warriors in 54th place with a time of 23:14, followed by freshman Lhotse Samuelson in 55th. Maya Butler (57th), Brooke Seeley (58th) and Anita Scholten (61st) rounded out the team’s counting places. Ankeny won the girls team title with a 61.

Boys Golfers finish 10th

The Norwalk boys golf team scored a 335 at the Fort Dodge Country Club, good for 10th place in the Dodgers’ home tournament. The Warrior scorecard was paced by Tillman Papcun’s round of 79, followed by Mason Johnson with an 81, Adrian Bush 87 and Grady Sigrist 88. Ankeny topped Dallas Center-Grimes on a tiebreaker to place first with a team score of 294, led by Drew Hensen’s medalist round of 69.

Norwalk’s next meet is the Waukee Northwest Invitational on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. The tournament will be held at The Legacy Golf Club in Norwalk.