Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

City High

Coach: Mike Moore (4th season)

Assistant coaches: Norm Balke, Gary Hollingsworth, Jason Dwight, Tim Casey, Ryan Ahlers, Carrie Karr, Ross Salinas

Key Returners: Zach Jones, Sr.; JP Rethwisch, Sr.; Lucas Firmstone, Sr.; Daniel Brown, Jr.; Jimmy Momberg, Sr.; Dean Wortman, Sr.; Cole Milder, Sr.; Bryce Hunger, Sr.; John Momberg, Sr.; Ry Threlkeld-Wiegand, Jr.; Max DePrenger, Jr.; Malik Kimber, Jr.; Quinton Runge, Jr.; Riley Moore, Jr.; Caden Turnbough, Soph.; Maisha Sila, Soph.; Olivier Shabani, Jr.; Ryan Carter, Soph.; Max Firmstone, Soph.; Noah Kabat, Soph.; Oisin Leopold, Soph.; Levi Sherod, Soph.

Newcomers to watch: Quenton Max, Sr.; Jonathan Brown, Jr.; Samba Traore, Jr.; Doug Burtch, Jr.; Blessing Pongo, Fr.; Luke Young, Jr.; Griffen Vogelgesang, Soph.; Davonte Foster, Sr.

Headliner: Senior Zach Jones was a four-even state qualifier a year ago and earned a pair of medals by helping the Little Hawks to top four finishes in both the 4×100 and 4×400 relays. The versatile Jones will try to build upon that performance as the Little Hawks unquestioned leader.

Keep an eye on: Senior Lucas Firmstone and junior Daniel Brown join Jones to give the Little Hawks three returners from a 4×400 squad that finished third at state in a time of 3:18.87.

Circle the date: April 19. Forwald/Coleman Relays at City High. The Little Hawks were fifth in a strong field at their home invite last year as cross-town rival West High won its second straight title.

Outlook: City High had a strong finish to the 2017 state meet with top-four finishes in the final two events (4×100 and 4×400). The Little Hawks have the talent in place to carry that momentum forward into this spring.

Jones, Firmstone, Brown and seniors Jimmy Momberg and JP Rethwisch provide a strong returning nucleus that all have all earned state meet medals.

City High will aim to improve on its fourth-place MVC divisional finish at should have the core in place to do that.

West High

Coach: T.J. Craig (3rd season)

Assistant coaches: Neil Davis, Joe Appah, Josh Kidman, Michael Melchert, Jon Stover, Ty Haren, Stephen Breitbach, Tyler Meade

Key returners: Gabe Caruthers, Jr.; Austin West, Sr.; Caden Fedeler, Sr.; Cole Mabry, Jr.; Kolby Greiner, Jr.; Jeff Garbutt, Sr.; Jonathan Gannon, Jr.; Ryan Gudenkauf, Jr.; Jackson Steburg, Sr.; Orin Cantu, Soph.; Devlin Lockman, Jr.; Ethan MacAreavy, Sr.; Mason Sorge, Jr.; Ethan Goers, Sr.; Yousif Salama, Jr.; Landon Green, Jr.

Headliner: Senior Austin West returns after a junior season in which he earned a state runner-up finish in the 400 hurdles while competing on three West High state qualifying relay teams. A future decathlete at Iowa, the versatility that West provides is key as the Trojans push for a strong state meet finish.  

Keep an eye on: Junior sprinter Gabe Caruthers took a big step forward last season qualifying for state in four events. This year Caruthers will attempt to make another big leap as one of the top sprinters in the state.

Circle the date: April 7. Hollingsworth Relays at West High. West High was fifth at its home meet in 2016 but will be going for back-to-back Hollingsworth titles this season after winning last year by more than 30 points.

Outlook: West High finished ninth at the state meet a year ago and has its sights set on improving on that performance this spring.

Junior Kolby Greiner earned state medals in both the 1,600 and 3,200 a year ago and is among the best distance runners in the state.

West, Caruthers and senior Jeff Garbutt headlines a strong list of returners on the track.

Junior Cole Mabry and senior Caden Fedler were state medalists in the shuttle hurdle relay a season ago and West High brings back state qualifiers in both throwing events in senior Jonathan Gannon and junior Landon Green.

Liberty High

Coach: Bruce Davis (1st season)

Assistant coaches: Aaron Martin, Nick Borchert, Nathan Oswald, Clint Feuerbach, Jeremy Mims

Newcomers to watch: Ben Houselong, Soph.; Jaquel Davis, Soph.; Daqwan Sanders, Fr.; Max Tafolla, Fr.; Ethan O’Donnell, Fr.; Jack Ankenbauer, Soph.; Harold Warr, Soph.; Peter Woodward, Soph.; Bowen Gryp, Fr.; Basil Aldoss, Fr.; Kaleb Williams, Soph.; Kelby Telander, Soph.

Circle the date: April 27. Viking Early Bird at Vinton Shellsburg. The first outdoor meet in program history is set to come at the Vinton-Shellsburg meet.

Outlook: It’s all brand new for Liberty High as head coach Bruce Davis lead the Lightning into the first varsity season in program history.

The Lightning will be young with a roster primarily consisting of freshmen and sophomores but Davis, a West High graduate and former assistant coach at West High, likes the talent his team possess.

Clear Creek Amana

Coach: Ben Robison (3rd season)

Assistant coaches: Karl Vogel, Jackson Litterer, Gabe Bakker, Trevor Bollers.

Key returners: Seb Johanson, Sr.; Matt Brimeyer, Sr.; Dylan Sheely, Sr.; Jordan Wolfe, Sr.; Jack Butler, Sr.; Zach Kabbage, Jr.; Quentin Gisleson, Jr.; Cole Liebe, Jr.; Kaden McAreavy, Jr.; Nick Gerard, Soph.; Nick O’Connor, Soph.; Jack Sexton, Soph.; Trever Stockman, Soph.

Newcomers to watch: Darius Moore, Sr.; Brandon Barker, Fr.; Nate Beckmann, Fr.; TJ Bollers, Fr.; Alex Figueroa.

Headliners: Seniors Matt Brimeyer and Seb Johanson account for half of a Clippers shuttle hurdle relay team that finished 11th at the state meet last season in a time of 1:00.69.  

Keep an eye on: Sophomore Nick O’Connor will try to carry the momentum of a breakthrough cross country season onto the track after placing 21st at the state cross country meet last fall.

Circle the date: May 3. WAMAC Conference Meet at Solon. Following a 10th place finish last season third-year head coach Ben Robison believes his team can challenge for a top five spot at a WAMAC meet that always ranks as one of the toughest conferences in the state.

Outlook: The expectations are as high as they have been in years in Tiffin as the Clippers return a strong group of upperclassmen to pair with a talented group of youngsters.

Robison expects this team to be the most balanced during his tenure at Clear Creek Amana and is excited about the possibilities of some strong relay teams.

Seniors Brimeyer, Johanson and Dylan Sheely headline a list of seven returners that have competed in a relay at the state meet.

Solon

Coach: Mark Sovers (22nd season)

Assistant coaches: Brad Wymer, Denny Gruber, Riley Takes

Key returners: Tyler Linderbaum, Sr.; Luke Ira, Sr.; Coal Flansburg, Jr.; Kendrick Harris, Sr.; Adam Bock, Jr.; Jackson Pipolo, Jr.; Thomas Brandt, Soph.; AJ Coons, Soph.

Newcomers to watch: Ben Krutzfeldt, Sr.; Seamus Poynton, Soph.; Colton Hoffman, Fr.

Headliner: Tyler Linderbaum has done a lot during his prep career at Solon and will try to add a state shot put title to that list this season. The Iowa football recruit was third at the state meet in the shot put last year with a toss of 53-11 ¼.

Keep an eye on: Senior Luke Ira will attempt to improve on his fifth-place state finish from a season ago in the 110 hurdles and could be a key in the Spartans’ sprint relays.

Circle the date: May 10. State Qualifying meet at Solon. A week after hosting the WAMAC conference meet the Spartans will have home field advantage with state meet trips on the line.

Outlook: The Spartans bring back a solid group of returners led by Linderbaum, Ira and junior thrower Coal Flansburg as they attempt to improve on a rare bottom half finish at the always-loaded WAMAC Meet.

Solon was 11th with 22 points at the conference meet last season but should make a strong push at improving that this season.

Flansburg joins Linderbaum as a state medalist in the shot put, placing seventh a year ago as a sophomore.

The return of senior Ben Krutzfeldt after a year away along should bolster the Spartan lineup along with senior Kendrick Harris, juniors Adam Bock and Jackson Pipolo and sophomores Thomas Brandt and AJ Coons.

West Branch

Coach: Taylor Larson (4th season)

Assistant coaches: Brad Wargo, Dan Zuniga, Jim Cottingham, Nikki Koenig

Key returners: Jacob Barnhart, Sr.; Trey Eagle, Soph.; Billy Friis, Sr.; Jacob Graves, Sr.; Atlas Kolpin, Jr.; Ben Kyllingstad, Sr.; Tanner Lukavsky, Soph.; Will Martin, Sr.; Luca Passeri, Sr.; Dalyn Pedersen, Soph.; Keegan Sotelo, Soph.; Ben Thompson, Sr.; Zach Thompson, Jr.; Jon Wargo, Soph.; John Yates, Soph.

Newcomers to watch: Jeff Bowie, Fr.; Joe Seydel, Fr.; Dominic Culver, Fr.

Headliner: Ben Thompson has taken big steps forward as a senior during both football and basketball season and will attempt to do the same on the track this season after helping the Bears’ 4×800 relay team qualify for the state meet last season.

Keep an eye on: Versatile senior Luca Passeri should be a big piece of the puzzle for West Branch after running on the 4×100, 4×200 and shuttle hurdle relay teams that placed at the RVC meet last year.

Circle the date: May 3. River Valley Conference meet at West Liberty. The Bears will attempt to improve on their 12th place RVC finish from last season.

Outlook: West Branch will be young again this season but has a roster that features 15 returning letterwinners including seven seniors as it attempts to improve on its 12th place conference finish.

The Bears had a pair of state qualifiers a year ago but should be able to improve on that this season.

Senior Jacob Barnhart and freshman Jeff Bowie will look to bolster the throw events while Thompson, Passeri, Ben Kyllingstad and Jacob Graves lead the list of top returners on the track.