By Becky Walz,
Winneshiek County cross country athletes are on a mission.
The area will be well represented at the state cross country meet, with two full squads and four individuals taking the course in Fort Dodge. They will be on a quest to earn a coveted spot on the deck by finishing in the top-10 overall and top three as a team.
The Decorah boys will be running at state for the 38th time — the most of any school in the state — after finishing second at the state-qualifying meet held Wednesday, Oct. 20, at Oneota Golf and Country Club. The boys came through second place. In addition, junior Rebecca Anderson will be representing the girls’ team as the lone individual qualifier from Decorah.
In addition, the South Winn girls, ranked No. 2 in Class 1A, will be back on the big stage, competing at state for the second year in a row. The Warriors won their state qualifying meet, held Thursday, Oct. 21, in Guttenberg. On the boys’ side, Isaiah Kruckman will compete for the boys as an individual qualifier.
Turkey Valley will have two harriers competing in Fort Dodge. Senior Jalyssa Blazek claimed the title spot in the state-qualifying meet to earn her fourth straight ticket to state. Joining her will be fellow senior Cambree Kruse.
In Class 3A, the top three teams and top 15 individuals punched tickets to state, while in Class 1A it was the top two teams and top 10 individuals advancing.
The state cross country meet will be held Friday, Oct. 29 and Saturday, Oct. 30.
Viking qualifiers
The Decorah boys’ team which finished second with 71 points behind Western Dubuque, who tallied 47 points, will also see NEIC foe Charles City on the state course after the Comets finished third with 82 points.
The Decorah boys’ team now holds the all-class record for the number of trips to state, qualifying 38 times in 45 qualifiers.
“Hats off to all of the Decorah teams and coaches that came before these guys to make that happen,” noted Viking boys’ coach Brad Johansen. “We were in a great position by the team as we ran where we were supposed to run and were rewarded with another trip to state.”
The individual champion of the qualifier was Eli Naumann of Western Dubuque in 15:58.10.
Decorah had two individuals qualify individually — Arlo Hayes and Larsson Shockey. Hayes led the Vikes to the finish line in 17:17.90, good for sixth. Shockey raced his way into 11th place in 17:47.90. Just missing the top 15 were Bennett Schutte and Izaak Eichinger. Schutte toured the 5K course in 18:01.10 to take 16th place, with Eichinger on his heels in 17th in 18:04.70. Completing the team score in 18:16.00 and 21st place was Cade Olson. Decorah’s other two runners on the course were Jake Magner, 23rd, 18:18.30 and Henry Weis, 27th, 18:24.80.
Decorah junior Rebecca Anderson was the lone qualifier from the girls’ squad, finishing 12th overall in 20:37.30. Breaking the tape in the girls’ race was Western Dubuque’s Alyssa Klein in 19:29.70.
Another chance
The South Winn girls will be at the state meet for the second year in a row after winning its state qualifying meet at Guttenberg Thursday. The girls raced to the top with 47 points and an average time of 21:24.6. Also moving on from the Clayton Ridge site, taking second was Wapsie Valley with 68 points.
South Winn’s Billie Wagner and Josie Tieskoetter each qualified individually for the big meet by finishing in the top 10. Wagner, ranked No. 4, earned the bronze medal in the meet, posting a time of 19:42.2. Not far behind, Tieskoetter crossed the finish line in 21:03.6, good for sixth overall. Senior Eryn Sabelka just missed the cut-off in 10th in the team standings and 12th overall in 21:49.3.
Freshman Karissa Wenthold earned 14th in team standings and 16th overall in 22:06.4. Anna Dietzenbach came through of the Warriors by taking 16th (18th overall) in 22:21.2 to complete the team score. Megan Hageman and Ella Willey also wore the Warriors uniforms Thursday. Hageman earned 18th (20th) in 22:36.0 while Willey was 22nd (25th) in 22:48.4.
Last year the girls finished second in Class 1A with 130 points, two points out of first place.
Six harriers from last year’s runner-up squad return for the Warriors this year including Wagner who finished third at state, Tieskoetter (25th overall), Sabelka (39th), Hageman (50th), Willey (102nd) and Dietzenbach (105th).
No. 13 Isaiah Kruckman will be the lone boy on the course for South Winn after qualifying in fifth place Thursday in 17:05.3. During his junior season last year, he finished 59th overall in 18:11.0 and looks to improve his position at state.
Two Trojans
Two Turkey Valley harriers will get a chance to win a state title after qualifying Thursday.
No. 2 Jalyssa Blazek looks to make her fourth appearance on the deck as she caps off her stellar career in Fort Dodge this weekend. The senior placed sixth as a freshman and claimed bronze her sophomore and junior seasons. Blazek was Thursday’s overall champion in 19:23.4.
Cambree Kruse worked her way to the front pack to post a career best time of 21:07.0 to take eighth place and punch her ticket to state.
Hailey Elsbernd, Dale Schwamman and Lucas Hanson capped off their seasons at the state qualifier with personal best times as well. Running in her final meet of her career, Elsbernd posted a time of 25:39.3 to finish 45th overall, while Schwamman concluded his career in 29th place in 19:11.4. Hanson, a sophomore, recorded a time of 21:51.7, good for 75th.
Not this year
For the first time in 15 years the Lady Vikings will not be in Fort Dodge as a team after finishing sixth in the team standings at Wednesday’s qualifier. Advancing from the Decorah qualifier were Western Dubuque with 54 points, Dubuque Wahlert with 82 points and Center Point-Urbana with 107 points. Decorah had an average time of 21:26.66.
“I am so proud of this group of hard-working athletes. They came into this meet with the challenge to compete and be the best they could be! I feel they accomplished this,” said Decorah girls’ coach Cristy Nimrod. “Thank you to all the parents, staff and community for supporting us this season and for working at the meet to make it run smoothly. Special thanks to Oneota, Darryl Landas and Al Ludeking for their work at the course!”
Finishing in 22nd place was Danielle Losen in 21:20.30 with Annalise Skrade close behind in 26th place. She posted a time of 21:24.70. Crossing the finish line in 21:46.10 in 29th place was Brynn Storhoff, while Kate Kelly earned 34th place in 22:04.90 to conclude the team score. Also on the course were Abby Halverson, 38th, 22:23.50 and McKenzie Riley, 43rd, 22:46.80.
Third place
The South Winn boys saw their season end Thursday after taking third with 77 points.
Kruckman led the way for the Warriors and qualified individually for the state meet. Chance Adam and Omar Flores finished back-to-back in 12th and 13th places, respectively. Adam, racing for the first time this season toured the course in 18:01.3, while Flores came to the finish line in 18:07.5. Traversing the trail in 18:34.0, good for 17th was senior Ethan Maldonado, while Hunter Wagner completed the team score. Wagner earned 30th (32nd overall) in 19:22.3.
Dayten Ondrashek and Kyle Hageman also completed their seasons Thursday. Ondrashek had a time of 19:57.7 38th (41st overall) while Hageman had a time of 20:30.4, good for 49th (52nd overall).
Class 3A girls’ team standings
1. Western Dubuque 54; 2. Dubuque Wahlert 82; 3. Center Point-Urbana 107; 4. Waverly-Shell Rock 115; 5. Crestwood 120; 6. Decorah 123; 7. Iowa Falls-Alden-AGWSR 204; 8. West Delaware 221; 9. Hampton-Dumont 255; 10. Charles City 262; 11. Vinton-Shellsburg 311; 12. Cedar Rapids Xavier 326; 13. Independence 332
Class 3A boys’ team standings
1. Western Dubuque 47; 2. Decorah 81; 3. Charles City 82; 4. Waverly-Shell Rock 92; 5. Center Point-Urbana 163; 6. West Delaware 169; 7. Cedar Rapids Xavier 172; 8. Crestwood 232; 9. Dubuque Wahlert 235; 10. Vinton-Shellsburg 257; 11. Iowa Falls-Alden/AGWSR 274; 12. Hampton-Dumont 290; 13. Independence 360
Class 1A girls’ team standings
1. South Winneshiek 47; 2. Wapsie Valley 68; 3. Kee 69; 4. Marquette Catholic 93; 5. Bellevue 103; 6. MFL MarMac 116
Class 1A boys’ team standings
1. Maquoketa Valley 44; 2. Bellevue 61; 3. South Winneshiek 77; 4. Clayton Ridge 106; 5. MFL MarMac 126; 6. Dunkerton 202; 7. Alburnett 206; 8. Edgewood-Colesburg 208; 9. East Buchanan 210; 10. Marquette Catholic 238; 11. Postville 285; 12. Wapsie Valley 292
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