Metro teams headline MVC meet

DUBUQUE -- It's not a bad bet that Metro teams will sweep the Mississippi Valley Conference cross country team championships Thursday.

But which Metro teams?

Cedar Rapids Prairie and Linn-Mar are co-favorites to claim the boys' title, while Cedar Rapids Kennedy and Linn-Mar look like the best of the girls' field.

The meet begins at 3:30 p.m. at the Dubuque Soccer Complex. The girls' varsity race is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., the boys' varsity race at 6 p.m.

Iowa City West's boys and Linn-Mar's girls are defending champions.

Prairie is ranked No. 2, Linn-Mar No. 6 in the 4A boys' rankings by the Iowa Association of Track Coaches. Linn-Mar's Josh Evans is the top-rated individual; Mark Fairley is second, Mitch Pritts of Prairie sixth.

Pritts was third last year.Kennedy's girls are ranked fourth in 4A. Iowa City West is seventh, Linn-Mar eighth.

West's Yokom is a solid individual favorite. She is ranked third individually; Alyssa Averhoff of Kennedy is eighth.

MVC CROSS COUNTRY MEET

Thursday, at Dubuque Soccer Complex

Schedule

3:30 p.m. -- Fresh-soph girls

4 p.m. -- Fresh-soph boys

4:30 p.m. -- JV girls

5 p.m. -- JV boys

5:30 p.m. -- Varsity girls

6 p.m. -- Varsity boys