FORT DODGE – You can’t coach heart.

Webster City girls’ track and field coach Clint Howard may have called the plays – and plenty of audibles – at Monday’s North Central Conference meet, but it was the resiliency of his small squad that enabled the Lynx to climb all the way up to third in the team standings.

With just 16 athletes in uniform, WCHS scored in 16 events and brought home nine medals en route to 97 points. Team champion Algona (152 points) and runner-up Humboldt (125) were the only teams to better the Lynx.

WCHS was without two of its leading point producers in sisters Allie and Haley Flaws due to injuries, but girls like Abbey Ferrari, Marisa Garrels and Andi Anderson stepped in and helped pick up key points

that allowed the Lynx to stay ahead of fourth-place Iowa Falls-Alden (93).

“I was skeptical going in if we could do that with the lineup that we have, but to place third with just 16 girls is a testament to how well they competed,” Howard said. “We asked girls to run different things, especially those sprint relays, and they stepped up and got the job done. They may not have gotten the wins, but those third- and fourth-place points make a difference.”

Garrels, Anderson and Ferrari were all members of the third-place 4×200-meter relay (1:57.37), as was Carrie Gerdes. Ferrari, Anderson and Gerdes were joined by Kenzie Garvey on the bronze medal 4×100 (55.28).

“Garrels had a great night,” Howard said, noting she jumped into the open 200 and clocked a 29.54 for third. “Ferrari and Anderson stepped into the relays and ran great legs. Top to bottom it was a solid effort.”

As they have all season, the girls in the field events set the stage for a solid meet. All five of the Lynx throwers and jumpers placed and both of the team’s gold medals were won before the meet went to the track.

Freshman Cassidy Nerland continued to shine, as she won the shot put title (39 feet, 1/4-inch) and finished second in the discus (106-0.5).

“(Nerland’s) never going to be happy when she doesn’t win, but the discus conditions were absolutely the opposite of what you want,” Howard said. “For the shot put, it was cold and she had a great series, and now she has the chance to become a four-time conference champion in the shot and not a lot of people can say that.”

Catie Boyd placed fourth in both the shot put (31-4.75) and discus (92-4.5).

Hannah Myers joined Nerland on the top of the podium by trumping all of the competition in the high jump by clearing 4-10. The senior added a silver in the 100 hurdles (16.83) later in the meet.

“Hannah Myers had an excellent night,” Howard said.

Gerdes was second (15-10.5) and Ferrari took seventh (13-9) in the long jump.

Courtney Biere, Cassidy Bultena, Ashley Flaws and Haley Johnson banded together and placed third in the 4×400 (4:43.95).

WCHS will now turn its focus to the postseason and Thursday’s Class 3A State Qualifying Meet at Gilbert.