True to the course: Area runners enjoy Mayne's Grove layout

HAMPTON – What’s not to like about the Mayne’s Grove cross country course?

A true cross country course down to the exact mileage, area runners enjoyed it no matter their finish.

The No. 6 (Class 1A) West Fork boys cross country team worked its way through the field to finish runner-up to second-ranked (Class 3A) Charles City as the Comets swept the team and individual titles at Hampton-Dumont’s H-D Bulldog Invitational on Thursday afternoon.

“It’s one of my favorite meets to run at,” said West Fork freshman runner Jacob Hansen, who recently entered the Iowa Association of Track & Cross Country Coaches rankings at 11th, “and I think that the times today might have been a little bit slower for everybody – I don’t know (why) maybe because of the hills, it’s a pretty good cross country course and pretty challenging, also.”