A stormy start to September didn’t keep the Adel-Desoto-Minburn cross country team from starting their 2018 competition season Saturday. The Tiger runners competed against multiple Class 4A programs in the annual Urbandale Cross Country Invitational at Urbandale Middle School. The ADM boys cross country team placed fourth out of six teams with 103 points, while the Tiger girls squads finished sixth overall with a score of 149.

ADM’s top finishers in both races came from underclassmen. Sophomore Nate Mueller, a 2017 state medalist, placed sixth overall with a time of 17:06. Sophomore Ethan Jurgens crossed the finish line over a minute after Mueller, taking 20th place at 18:14. Sophomore Hannah Welch was ADM’s top finisher in the girls’ race, placing 39th with a time of 23:02. Both ADM Cross Country teams will return to competition tomorrow in the Winterset Cross Country Invitational. First race begins at 4:30 p.m. from the Lakeview Country Club.