JAMESTOWN, N.D. — On a course that demands more than a fast time, Valley City State's cross country teams found meaningful signs of progress Friday at the Jimmie Invite.

Kole Albers earned a 14th-place finish, while several Vikings recorded personal bests on the challenging Parkhurst course. Jaedyn Lura added a personal best at the 6,000-meter distance, giving VCSU another encouraging performance as the season moves into its second half.

"Not every Cross-Country course is created equal, and the Jamestown course is considered a very challenging one," coach Greg Keeler said.

For Keeler, comparing performances on the same course provides a valuable measure of improvement. Friday's results offered that evidence, with Albers and Zach Baumgartner both recording their fastest performances at Parkhurst.

Albers continued his strong season with a 14th-place finish, marking another step forward after his breakout race at Augustana the previous week. Baumgartner also turned in a strong effort, joining Albers in improving his previous mark on the Jamestown course.

On the women's side, Lura used her experience racing at Parkhurst during high school to navigate the course and establish a new personal best over 6,000 meters. The freshman continued to build confidence at the collegiate distance, following another personal-best performance at Augustana.

"I thought both Billie Maye and Jaedyn had good races today," Keeler said. "Jaedyn used her extensive experience on the Parkhurst course to set a new personal best at 6000m and continues to run strong."

Billie Maye Pohlkamp also delivered an encouraging race, giving the Vikings another performance to build on as they prepare for the closing stretch of the season.

The challenge at Parkhurst gave VCSU a chance to measure its growth against the course itself. With Albers finishing among the top 15 and multiple runners improving their previous marks, the Vikings left Jamestown with further evidence that their work is translating into progress.