Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

West High

Head coach: Josh Kidman (1st season)

Last season: Tenth at Class 4A State Meet

Returners: Kolby Greiner, Sr.; Yusuf Salama, Sr.; Osman Salama, Jr.; Ian Prescott, Sr.; Will Conrad, Sr.

Newcomers to watch: Alex Wang, Soph.; Raymond Yang, Soph.

Conference meet: October 4: Mississippi Valley Conference Meet at Noelridge Park in Cedar Rapids. October 11: MVC Valley Divisional Meet at Noelridge Park in Cedar Rapids.

Headliner: Kolby Greiner is looking for a big finish to a strong prep career after placing 11th at the state meet as a sophomore and 29th last season.

Keep an eye on: Senior Will Conrad placed 64th at the state meet last season.  

Noteworthy: Josh Kidman takes over a West High program that features a lineup with a legit state title contender in Greiner and two more runners with state meet experience.

City High

Head coach: Jayme Skay (22nd season)

Last season: Ninth at Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet

Returners: Caden Turnbough, Jr.; Owen Jones, Sr.; Jonathan Brown, Sr.; Mitchell Wilkes, Jr.; Charlie Maxwell, Sr.

Newcomers to watch: Matt Taylor, Jr.; Andre Miller, Soph.; Olivier Shabani, Jr.

Conference meet: October 4: Mississippi Valley Conference Meet at Noelridge Park in Cedar Rapids. October 11: MVC Mississippi Divisional Meet in Dubuque 

Headliner: Caden Turnbough is a two-year varsity letterwinner and the lone state qualifier on the City High roster after running at the state meet in 2016.

Keep an eye on: Senior Jonathan Brown will look for a strong finish to his career. Brown placed 37th at the MVC super meet a year ago.

Noteworthy: City High is seeking to return to the state meet after missing out on a team spot at state a year ago.

Liberty High

Head coach: Josh Hildebrand (2nd season)

Assistant coach: Nate Canton, Nicholas Borchert

Returners: Peter Woodward, Jr.; Dylan Schmidt, Sr.; Jack Kinzer, Soph.; Caleb Schillinger, Soph.; Spencer Knight, Soph.

Newcomers to watch: Ethan Keeney, Fr.; Gavin Keeney, Fr.; Jack Abel, Fr.; Logan Nelson, Fr.

Conference meet: October 4: Mississippi Valley Conference Meet at Noelridge Park in Cedar Rapids. October 11: MVC Valley Divisional Meet at Noelridge Park in Cedar Rapids.

Headliner: Junior Peter Woodward became the first state qualifier in program history last fall and narrowly missed earning a state medal placing 17th in the Class 3A race.

Keep an eye on: Hildebrand expects big things from freshman Ethan and Gavin Keeney in their first varsity season.

Noteworthy: Liberty High makes the move to Class 4A this season after competing as a 3A program in its first year.

Clear Creek Amana

Head coach: Ben Robison (4th season)

Assistant coach: Jim White

Last season: 10th at Class 3A State Meet

Returners: Cole Liebe, Sr.; Kaden McAreavy, Sr.; Nick O’Connor, Jr.; Jack Sexton, Jr.; Brandon McCarty, Jr.; Brandon Barker, Soph.; Caleb Alcorn, Soph.  

Newcomers to watch: Gavin Zillyette, Fr.; Tanner Tomas, Fr.; Keyan Gisleson, Fr.

Conference meet: October 11: WAMAC Meet at South Tama

Headliner: Junior Nick O’Connor showed the ability to be a top of the pack runner at any meet with a 27th place finish at the 3A state meet.

Keep an eye on: Sophomore Brandon Barker could be in for a big season after placing 42nd at the state meet in his varsity debut season.

Noteworthy: The Clippers are looking to improve on a historic season last fall that featured the programs best finishes at the WAMAC meet (3rd) and state meet (10th).

Solon

Head coach: Emy Williams (17th season)

Assistant coach: Michelle Lyons

Last season: 12th at WAMAC Conference Meet

Returners: Andrew Bransky, Sr.; Tyler Bilskie, Soph.; Ben DeValk, Soph.; Edward Richey, Soph.; Brad Yeomans, Soph.

Newcomers to watch: X

Conference meet: October 11: WAMAC Meet at South Tama

Headliner: Sophomore Tyler Bilskie is the top returning performer from a year ago for the Spartans after placing 67th at the WAMAC Conference meet and will look to take a big step forward in year two.

Keep an eye on: Williams likes the work her team put in over the offseason and senior Andrew Bransky has been one of the leaders of that group.

Noteworthy: Solon returns five runners with varsity experience from last season, four of which were freshman a year ago.

Regina

Head coach: Liam Hartley (1st season)

Last season: 7th at River Valley Conference Meet

Returners: Nicholas Abusada, Soph.; Zach Kratz, Sr.; Ethan Boileau, Jr.

Conference meet: October 11: River Valley Conference Meet at Kickers Soccer Complex in Iowa City

Headliner: First-year coach Liam Hartley will be looking for senior leadership on a young squad and will looking to senior Zach Kratz to provide that as one of three varsity returners.

Keep an eye on: Junior Ethan Boileau will look to take a big step forward after placing 65th at the River Valley Conference meet last season.  

Noteworthy: Regina returns to Class 1A this season after spending the previous two seasons in Class 2A.