BOSCOBEL — The Bulldog Cross Country teams competed at the Verona Invitational over the weekend, facing stiff competition from a number of larger, highly competitive schools.

The boys team took 13th place overall, with Dakota Kauffman coming in 14th with a time of 17:06, followed by Seth Laxton in 53rd with a time of 18:06 and Jordon Molzof at 58th with a time of 18:10.

The girls team took 14th place overall. Mackenzie Kauffman was the Bulldogs top female finisher in 53rd place with a time of 22:27. She was followed by Molly Pegram in 61st at 22:41 and Rachel Davis in 78th with a time of 23:18.

The varsity boys race had 170 entrants; the varsity girls had 167 racing.

“We were the smallest school out of the 27 schools (with the largest school having an enrollment of over 2,400 students),” said coach Skyler Reynolds. “I think it was a really good eye opener for us and will help prepare us for bigger races later in the season. Our athletes stepped up and did the best they could in very hot conditions.”

Verona is a difficult course in good conditions, so the high heat and humidity made it that much tougher.

“The team showed togetherness and chemistry,” said Reynolds. “This is something great to see early on that they are all there for each other.”

The team ran at Westby on Tuesday, Sept. 8.

The Bulldogs will run against Fennimore, Iowa-Grant, Southwestern, Belleville, Necedah, Prairie du Chien, Richland Center, Lancaster, Dodgeville, Brookwood, Cassville, Hillsboro, Viroqua, Middleton, Holmen, St. Ambrose Academy, Prairie du Chien MS, Wisconsin Heights, Albany, and River Valley at the Spring Green Municipal Golf Course on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 8:30 a.m.