FORT DODGE – The individual and team placings may have been a bit higher than the Webster City cross country teams are accustomed to, but that was to be expected at Thursday’s Fort Dodge Invitational.

Besides, the Lynx got what they went for – the chance to run on the same course that will host the North Central Conference meet next Tuesday. Everything else was secondary.

The Class 4A-dominated fields were too tough for WCHS to make a dent in either race at Lakeside Golf Course, as the boys (478 points) placed 15th and the girls (440 points) took 16th.

“We had excellent races throughout both our boys and girls squads,” WCHS head coach Tony Bussan said. “We are showing that we are peaking at the right time, as the majority of our athletes had their best performances of the year on the always fast state-meet course.”

The top-ranked teams in the large class won the two team titles. West Des Moines Dowling was the boys’ champion, while Urbandale cruised to the girls’ crown.

The WCHS boys’ squad had some movement in its pack, as freshman Dawson Hjelmeland (18:08) came up to serve as the No. 2. He finished 94th overall.

Fellow freshman John Piaszynski (18:33) crossed in 99th to score in the No. 4 slot.

“Dawson Hjelmeland and John Piaszynski both ran outstanding races,” Bussan said.

Tyler Bultena (17:50) took 84th and maintained his team lead. Connor Foster (18:26) was 97th, and John Brandt (18:46) 104th.

The WCHS girls’ team continued to receive strong performances from its trio of leaders. Haley Johnson (22:01) led the way in 80th, while the Flaws twins, Allie (22:19) and Ashley (22:30), placed 83rd and 88th, respectively.

Larae Ebrecht (22:46) continued to close the gap and occupied the 92nd-place slot, and Cassidy Bultena (23:10) again made a late-season surge to factor into the scoring by placing 97th.

“Our girls are making good progress as a squad,” Bussan said. “We were able to significantly lower our scoring gap.”

Tuesday’s NCC meet will get underway with the middle school races at 3:45 p.m.