Prep Cross Country- The Iowa Association of Track Coaches released their preseason team and individual rankings yesterday and eight of our local teams found themselves in the top 20, including four teams listed in the top 10.
Class 3A
In Class 3A for the boys’ teams, Washington was the lone team ranked from the Southeast Conference, entering the season at #7.
The Demons scored 219 points at the state meet last year and will lose out on Tyler Alderton, a top 30 runner in the rankings all last year and at the state meet as he took 28th place.
They will return #9 Andrew Rees, as he turned in the best time for the team at Fort Dodge at 16 minutes and 20 seconds, which was good enough for 13th place. His partner in crime will be #26 Sawyer Tschantz, as a junior he finished 41st at state. A young core that finished in the low 100s at state last season should help improve the team score.
On the girls’ side for Class 3A, Fort Madison was ranked 8th and Washington snuck in at #20. The Bloodhounds will be led by Avery Rump, who took 45th place last season at the state meet as the only member to attend. She will continue her rivalry with Washington’s #28 Iris Dahl, who finished in 32nd.
The reason for only mentioning Dahl for Washington is the team that took 12th place at state last year accrued 240 of their 265 points from seniors: Kendall Hinrichsen, Lauren Horak, Alyvia Anderson, and Quincy Griffis. The next Demon to finish that will return is Angeline Anderson, who finished in 120th place.
Class 2A
The Mediapolis boys’ team took the #13 slot in the Class 2A rankings. The Bulldogs bring back all three of their state qualifiers from last season, including top 35 finisher #16 Simon Wendel.
Surprisingly, Will Schmidgall, who was individually ranked for most of last season as a sophomore, was left off the preseason top 30 list after finishing in 85th place at state last season. Mason Lindeen will also look to uplift the Bulldogs.
On the girls’ side, Kaitlyn Kipp of Notre Dame/West Burlington enters the season ranked as the 30th best runner in the state. The junior clinched 47th place at state as a sophomore with a time of 20 minutes and 44 seconds.
Class 1A
Over in Class 1A for the boys’, Van Buren County was placed at #6, followed by Columbus at #8. WACO was slotted in at #16.
The Wildcats actually finished above the Warriors, 12th versus 13th, at the state meet last year, but graduated their top runner in Ty Muniz, while the Warriors will get #15 Lincoln Bainbridge, who finished 27th at state last year, back to lead the squad.
Nevertheless, the top returning finisher for southeast Iowa was WACO’s #11 Jude Dykstra, as he looks to build upon his 19th place finish at state for his senior season.
Lastly, the Danville girls’ team starts the year ranked 16th in Class 1A. The Bears will be led by Alaina Gourley in her senior campaign. Gourley was kept out of the preseason top 30. Helping her out will be Delaney Newberry, as she finished in the top 100 at state last year.