Comparing results from one season to the next is not always a fair way to gauge athletic performance, but times and finishes for Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn's cross country runners at the 2021 Deb Hankens Invitational indicate improvement compared to those of a year ago.

Veterans and newcomers took advantage of less-stressful weather conditions, as the temperature during the Aug. 26 meet at the Cherokee Country Club was moderate compared to the mid-90s during the 2020 opener.

Senior Madison Otto ran a time of 22:58 to finish fifth in girls' varsity. Freshman Kamryn Ebel finished 15th in her firs...