OWEN PATTERSON competes for Webster City earlier this season. (DFJ File Photo)

HUMBOLDT — For many, it will be about defending here Tuesday when the North Central Conference Cross Country Invitational hits the course.

The St. Edmond girls enter the meet as the two-time reigning champions, while Aaron Lursen captured the boys race last fall as a junior.

Racing will begin at 3:45 p.m. from Joe Sheldon Park.

Joining the host Wildcats and St. Edmond will be Algona, Clarion-Goldfield/Dows, Clear Lake, Hampton-Dumont/CAL, Iowa Falls-Alden/AGWSR and Webster City.

Prior to winning the team title in 2020 and ’21, St. Edmond placed third behind Iowa Falls-Alden/AGWSR, who enters this year ranked 10th in Class 3A. The Gaels are No. 8 in 1A and Clear Lake is 17th in 3A.

Addison Doughan of Clear Lake is the highest ranked runner at seventh in 3A. Algona’s Moriah Knapp is 25th in 3A, Teah Miller of Iowa Falls-Alden/AGWSR is 28th in 3A and Anna Lursen from St. Edmond is 25th in 1A.

Doughan, who won the girls race as a freshman last year, is part of a Top-11 that is all set to return. Miller was second with her teammate Abby Harding finishing third.

Knapp was fourth with St. Edmond’s trio of Michaela Leiting, Hannah Landwehr and Ellie Knox placing seventh, eighth and ninth.

Another runner, though, from Iowa Falls-Alden/AGWSR has the best time coming in, as freshman Nakia Ollivierre sits atop the leaderboard. Doughan is second followed by Knapp, Miller and Humboldt ninth-grader Brynn Malo.

Webster City’s top runner is senior Emma Peck, as she has posted the 31st-fastest time entering the meet.

St. Edmond finished with 61 team points, three ahead of Clear Lake and 13 better than Humboldt with IF-A/AGWSR in fourth.

Lursen’s top finish helped the Gaels place third behind Clear Lake and Humboldt, as the Lions ended Humboldt’s run.

Another close battle between seniors Lursen and Ryan Stundahl of Algona is expected. Lursen is ranked ninth in 1A and Stundahl 27th in 3A, and last year, Lursen bested his rival by 11 seconds.

Clear Lake’s Jack Crane and Leo Tolentino were in the Top-5 a year ago. St. Edmond is the lone ranked team in the boys field. Lursen has the top time coming in followed by Stundahl, Crane and Algona freshman Gavin Weber.

Brayden Henely of Webster City enters the NCC meet with the 20th-best time.