North Tama’s Grace Lidgett charges around the turn on her way to a first-place finish at the South Tama County Invite on Monday in Tama. Lidgett won with a time of 21 minutes, 35.2 seconds. PHOTO BY NOAH ROHLFING

Home turf may come with its advantages – especially on a cross country course as unique and difficult as South Tama’s – but North Tama runner Grace Lidgett knew the course well and used that to her advantage this past Monday evening.

Grace Lidgett’s comfortable win in the girls’ race was just the boost her season needed after a start she characterized as not her best. The North Tama senior was ahead early and often and slowly gapped her way ahead of the pack throughout the race, finishing 30 seconds ahead of the next best runner with a time of 21:35.2.

Lidgett said it was a great day on one of her favorite cross country courses.

“We’ve been training a bunch of hills in practice, so I think we were all really prepared for that,” Lidgett said. “We’re running through trees and some people don’t like the gravel but I do for some reason. I think the fact that it’s different makes it fun.”

The Redhawks finished second in the team scores with 60 points, buoyed by a top-10 run from Jamie Jacobs, who finished ninth with a 23:28.2. Olivia Ketter was 17th after a 24:17.4 and Ava Breakenridge came in 18th place with a time of 24:26.3.

Case Monat ran a 22:58.6 and finished 51st in the boys’ race.

South Tama County Invitational

GIRLS

Team Standings — 1. Grundy Center/Gladbrook-Reinbeck 47, 2. North Tama 60, 3. West Marshall 88, 4. Grinnell 98, 5. South Hardin 98, 6. BCLUW 121, 7. East Marshall 137.

Individual (top 10) — 1. Grace Lidgett, NT, 21:35.2; 2. Abby Kemp, BCLUW, 22:05.4; 3. Grace Storjohann, GCGR, 22:26.3; 4. Laney Dole, GCGR, 22:34.9; 5. Karlee Lynch, GCGR, 23:01.3; 6. Kalia Stover, BCLUW, 23:12.7; 7. Olivia Olson, GRN, 23:21.2; 8. Emelia Hauser, WM, 23:26.4; 9. Jamie Jacobs, NT, 23:28.3; 10. Addie Thompson, WM, 23:34.6.

NORTH TAMA (60) — 1. Lidgett 21:35.2, 9. Jacobs 23:28.3, 17. Olivia Ketter 24:17.4, 18. Ava Breakenridge 24:26.3, 22. Gabby Seda 25:09.3.

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BOYS

Team Standings — 1. Grundy Center/Gladbrook-Reinbeck 46, 2. South Tama 54, 3. East Marshall 66, 4. Grinnell 69, 5. BCLUW 157, 6. Baxter 194, 7. South Hardin 196, 8. West Marshall 201, 9. GMG 234.

Individual (top 10) — 1. Tommy Tyynismaa, STC, 16:31.8; 2. Kaden Lynch, GCGR, 16:38.8; 3. James Brant, STC, 17:19.1; 4. Brennen Sager, GCGR, 17:23.7; 5. Joe Terrones, EM, 17:29.9; 6. Patrick Rayburn, EM, 17:46.2; 7. Tyler Venenga, GCGR, 17:53.3; 8. Jonas Conner, GRN, 17:53.5; 9. Braxten Rohrs, STC, 17:54.3; 10. Emerson Vokes, GCGR, 17:54.3.

NORTH TAMA — 51. Case Monat 22:58.6.