The competition season is still over a week away for the Adel-Desoto-Minburn Tigers cross country programs. The Tigers open their 2018 campaign in the Urbandale Cross Country Invitational next Saturday, featuring runners from Des Moines Hoover, Des Moines Lincoln, Dowling Catholic, Indianola, and Urbandale. The Raccoon Valley Radio Network interviewed ADM head cross country coach David Zwank earlier this month. Among the discussion topics was the Tigers opening meet at Urbandale. “They’ll be two races, a boys race, and a girls race,” Zwank said, “I love that as the very first race (of the season) where you go out and let’s see who’s going to be the front-runners.”

Zwank adds as the lone Class 3A program in the meet the athletes shouldn’t get too stressed out about their placement because it’s competition they won’t see the rest of the season. The 2018 Urbandale Cross Country Invitational will be held next Saturday, September 1, at the Urbandale Middle School Complex. The girl’s race starts at 9 a.m., and the boy’s event commences at 9:45 a.m.