The Norwalk cross country teams will compete at Indianola’s Pickard Park on Monday in the annual Little Hawkeye Conference Cross Country Meet. The girls race will start at 4:30 p.m., followed by the boys race at 4:55.

The Warriors boys are attempting to capture a fourth consecutive Little Hawkeye championship but coach Chad Larson knows it won’t be an easy task. Norwalk is currently ranked 11th in Class 4A, Dallas Center-Grimes is ranked sixth in 4A and Pella is the No. 2 ranked squad in Class 3A.

Larson tells KNIA-KRLS Sports that this will likely be the most challenging year for his team to repeat as champions, but the Warriors did finish 19 points ahead of DC-G at Thursday’s Fort Dodge Invitational. When DC-G, Norwalk and Pella all competed at the Heartland Classic on September 16, only eight points separated the three rivals.

“DC-G is a very, very good team… and Pella obviously is very, very talented,” Larson said. “It’s going to be really, really tight, a really fun race, and it really comes down to – I think there’s enough closeness and parity between our three teams – who truly has the good day from one to five.”

The Norwalk girls will look to match or improve on last year’s fifth-place showing at the Little Hawkeye Conference Meet. Class 3A top-ranked Pella will be the favorite to repeat as Monday’s champion.