Class 3A State Cross Country Meet Breakdown
Class 3A Boys
Time: 12:30 p.m.
Team qualifiers: Gilbert*, Dallas Center-Grimes, Carlisle, Cedar Rapids Xavier*, Decorah, Dubuque Wahlert, Grinnell*, Mount Pleasant, Pella, Mount Vernon-Lisbon*, Marion, Clear Creek Amana, Sergeant Bluff-Luton*, Humboldt, Sioux City Heelan.
Individual district champions: JJ Orput, Carlisle; Davis Flogel, Dubuque Wahlert; Logan Murray, Mount Pleasant; Jeremy Fopma, Marion; Dylan Cavanaugh, Storm Lake.
2015 team champion: Mount Vernon-Lisbon
Returning state placers: 1. Logan Murray, Mount Pleasant; 2. JJ Orput, Sr., Carlisle; 5. Myles Bach, Jr., Marion; 6. Jeremy Fopma, Jr., Marion; 7. Thomas Clower, Jr., Grinnell; 9. Dylan Cavanaugh, Sr., Storm Lake; 10. Trenton O’Halloran, Jr., Grinnell; 11. Andrew Kephart, Jr., Decorah; 12. Chase McLaughlin, Sr., Mount Vernon-Lisbon; 13. Jack Young, Sr., Mount Vernon-Lisbon; 14. Alex Thompson, Jr., Dallas Center-Grimes;
Top ranked teams/ranked area teams: 1. Mount Vernon-Lisbon; 2. Grinnell; 3. Gilbert; 4. Mount Pleasant; 5. Dallas Center-Grimes; 13. Clear Creek Amana.
Top ranked individuals: 1. Logan Murray, Sr., Mount Pleasant; 2. Jeremy Fopma, Jr., Marion; 3. J.J. Orput, Sr., Carlisle; 4. Dylan Cavanaugh, Sr., Storm Lake; 5. Thomas Clower, Jr., Grinnell;
Breakdown: Top-ranked Mount Vernon-Lisbon is out to defend its team title from a year ago. After a runner-up finish in 2014 Mount Vernon-Lisbon won the team title by 31 points over Grinnell last season and those two teams should duke it out with 2014 champion Gilbert for the top spot this year.
No.13 Clear Creek Amana is making its second state appearance in program history and first since 2013 after a third-place finish at the state qualifying meet. The Clippers will push for a top half finish behind senior Wyatt Sedlacek and Luke Wingert who both return with state experience after qualifying as individuals a year ago.
Class 3A Girls
Time: Noon
Team qualifiers: Dallas Center-Grimes*, Gilbert, Denison-Schleswig, Charles City*, Decorah, Dubuque Wahlert, Pella*, North Polk, Ballard, Mount Vernon-Lisbon*, Solon, Davenport Assumption, Sioux City Heelan*, Humboldt, Spencer.
Individual district champions: Raegan Andersen, Denison-Schleswig; Adrianna Katcher, Center Point-Urbana; Sierra Howardson, Fort Madison; Joy Ripslinger, Davenport Assumption; Bryce Gidel, Humboldt.
2015 team champion: Davenport Assumption
Returning state placers: 1. Julia Schumacher, Jr., Davenport Assumption; 2. Kourtney Delperdang, Soph., Spirit Lake; 3. McKayla Cole, Sr., Charles City; 4. Lexi Smith, Jr., Dallas Center-Grimes; 7. Emily Branson, Jr., Gilbert; 8. Ellie Mendlik, Jr., Denison-Schleswig; 9. Josephine Berlage, Sr., Decorah; 10. Joy Ripslinger, Sr., Davenport Assumption; 14. Megan Sievers, Soph., Carlisle; 15. Madeline Hurt, Soph., LeMars.
Area individual qualifiers: Kaylie Barker, Soph., Clear Creek Amana.
Top ranked teams/ranked area teams: 1. Pella; 2. Charles City; 3. Decorah; 4. Dubuque Wahlert; 5. North Polk; 14. Solon.
Top ranked individuals: 1. Adrianna Katcher, Fr., Center Point-Urbana; 2. Bryce Gidel, Fr., Humboldt; 3. Kourtney Delperdang, Soph., Spirt Lake; 4. Sophia Gilbert, Jr., Benton; 5. Ellie Friesen, Jr., Cresco.
Breakdown: Davenport Assumption returns its top two finishers from last year’s title team in defending 3A individual champion Julia Schumacher and junior Joy Ripslinger and both will battle for the individual title this season.
The team title is wide open with Pella, Charles City, Decorah and Dubuque Wahlert the top contenders. Pella was second a year ago while Wahlert was third and Decorah was fifth at last year’s state meet.
Solon has improved each week and made its season debut in the 3A rankings this week at No. 14. The state meet will be a new experience for the Spartans which are led by junior Sophie Nicol and sophomore Erin Kerkhoff and feature a trio of talented freshman.
Clear Creek Amana sophomore Kaylie Barker is making her second consecutive state meet apperance as an individual after placing 58th at state last season as a freshman.
*-State qualifying meet champion