The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk boys and girls cross country teams are on the course for the first time in 2017 today when they travel to Cedar Rapids Prairie.

The Mid-Prairie boys begin the drive to repeat as class 2A state champions, following a 2016 that saw them capture the first state team title in school history. Mid-Prairie enters the new season atop the Iowa Track Coaches Association preseason poll in class 2A. The Golden Hawks return their top five runners from the state title team including Peyton Miller who was 11th overall in Fort Dodge and enters this year ranked ninth in the state. Other Golden Hawk individuals in the preseason poll include Zach Pettit 10th, Floyd Evans 12th, and Marshall Teets 26th.

The Mid-Prairie girls also have high expectations for 2017. The Golden Hawks finished in third place as a team in last year’s state meet and enter the new season ranked No. 2 in the preseason poll from the Iowa Track Coaches Association. Mid-Prairie is led by defending state champion Anna Hostetler, last year’s Iowa Gatorade Runner of the Year, who enters the new season ranked No. 1 in class 2A. She is followed by her sister and last year’s state runner up Marie Hostetler who comes into 2017 ranked No. 2 in the state.

Joining Mid-Prairie today in Cedar Rapids are Anamosa, Cascade, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids Xavier, Clear Creek Amana, Davenport West, Fort Madison, Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Linn-Mar, Maquoketa, Marion, Mason City, Monticello, Mount Vernon, Muscatine, North Cedar, Solon, Washington, Waukee, West Liberty, Western Dubuque and the home-standing Prairie Hawks. Action continues all day today at Cedar Rapids Prairie High School.