Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Class 1A Boys

Time: 2:30 p.m.

Team Qualifiers: *Earlham, Nodaway Valley, Woodward Academy, *BCLUW, South Winneshiek, Denver, *Madrid, South Hamilton, Mason City Newman, *Calamus-Wheatland, Maquoketa Valley, Pekin, *Sibley-Ocheyedan, Council Bluffs St. Albert, Trinity Christian, *

Individual District Champions: Joshua Baudler, Jr. Nodaway Valley; Caleb Silver, Sr., BCLUW; Sean McDermott, Sr., Madrid; Hunter Rickels, Sr., Calamus-Wheatland; Will Roder, Jr., LeMars Gehlen;

2017 Team Top-Five: 1. Nodaway Valley 56; 2. Bellevue 82; 3. Madrid 136; 4. Woodward Academy 166; 5. South Winneshiek

Last 5 Team Champions: 2017 – Nodaway Valley; 2016 – Nodaway Valley; 2015 – Nodaway Valley; 2014 – Bellevue; 2013 – Denver

Returning State Placers: 2. Sean McDermott, Sr., Madrid; 4. Jerry Jorgenson, Sr., Treynor; 6. Buddy Darting, Jr., Wilton; 8. Carson Rygh, Jr., Lake Mills; 9. Grant Brouwer, Sr., Sibley-Ocheyedan; 10. Hunter Rickels, Jr., Calamus-Wheatland; 12. Noah Nelson, Sr., ACGC;

Area Individual Qualifiers: None

Top Ranked Teams: 1. Madrid; 2. Calamus-Wheatland; 3. South Hamilton; 4. Earlham; 5. Nodaway Valley

Top Ranked Individuals: 1. Sean McDermott, Sr., Madrid; 2. Will Roder, Jr., LeMars Gehlen; 3. Joshua Baudler, Jr., Nodaway Valley; 4. Carson Rygh, Jr., Lake Mills; 5. Hunter Rickels, Sr., Calamus-Wheatland

Ranked Area Individuals: None

Breakdown: Led last year’s individual runner-up Sean McDermott Madrid has its sights set on its first state title since 1965.

Madrid was third last season but has the top-ranked individual in McDermott and enough depth to emerge from a balanced 1A field.

Calamus-Wheatland finished 1-2 and the 1A state qualifier in Iowa City last week with fifth-ranked senior Hunter Rickles leading the way and should push for a title along with three-time defending state champion Nodaway Valley.

*-State Qualifying meet champion

Class 1A Girls

Time: 2 p.m.

Team Qualifiers: *Earlham, Tri-Center, Adair-Casey/Guthrie Center; *Lansing Kee, Denver, Bellevue Marquette, *Regina, Starmont, Pekin, *Hudson, North Linn, East Marshall, *Logan-Magnolia, Fort Dodge St. Edmond, Ridge View

Individual District Champions: Peyton Pogge, Soph., Tri-Center; Jalyssa Blazek, Fr., Turkey Valley; Cheyenne Shaw, Jr., North Mahaska; Addy Carlson, Sr., Saint Ansgar; Taylor Sporrer, Jr., Logan-Magnolia

2017 Team Top-Five: 1. Hudson 104; 2. Panorama 115; 3. Lansing Kee 133; 4. Logan-Magnolia 140; 5. South Winneshiek 156

Last 5 Team Champions: 2017 – Hudson; 2016 – Central Elkader; 2015 – Central Elkader; 2014 – Pocahontas Area; 2013 – Pekin

Returning State Placers: 2. Emma Lucas, Sr., Bedford; 3. Kate Crawford, Jr., Adair-Casey/Guthrie Center; 4. Peyton Pogge, Soph., Tri-Center; 7. Taylor Sporrer, Jr., Logan-Magnolia; 12. Kori Wedeking, Jr., Clarksville; 13. Jenna Twait, Jr., Hudson; 14. Alexis Post, Sr., Riverside

Area Individual Qualifiers: None

Top Ranked Teams: 1. Logan-Magnolia; 2. Regina; 3. Lansing Kee; 4. Denver; 5. Hudson

Top Ranked Individuals: 1. Peyton Pogge, Soph., Tri-Center; 2. Taylor Sporrer, Jr., Logan-Magnolia; 3. Jalyssa Blazek, Fr., Turkey Valley; 4. Emma Lucas, Sr., Bedford; 5. Kate Crawford, Jr., Adair-Casey/Guthrie Center

Ranked Area Individuals: 22. Annalee Bartles, Soph., Regina; 30. Josie Voss, Fr., Regina

Breakdown: Regina expects to contend for a top-three finish in its return to Class 1A after placing seventh at the 2A meet last season.

The Regals returned just two runners from its state tournament team from a year ago but have gotten a boost from a batch of newcomers that includes 22nd ranked sophomore Annalee Bartles and 30th ranked freshman Josie Voss.

Regina placed fourth the last time it appeared at the 1A state meet in 2015.

The Regals will have plenty of competition for a spot on the balcony as there appears to be little separation among the top five teams.

Top-ranked Logan Magnolia was fourth last season with all freshman and sophomores in its top seven and features a pair of top-10 ranked runners in second-ranked Taylor Sporrer and No. 8 Courtney Sporrer.

Lansing Kee, Denver and defending champion Hudson all will be in the mix along with Regina for a trophy.

The 1A individual race figures to be one of the most entertaining of the day.

Last year’s 1A individual champion Emily Staal of Springville-Central City has moved up to Class 2A but all three of the other top four finishers from last season return for another shot at 1A gold.

Tri-Center sophomore Peyton Pogge was fourth last season and enters top-ranked while last year’s runner-up Emma Lucas of Bedford and fifth-ranked Adair-Casey/Guthrie Center junior Kate Crawford expect to push for the top spot along with Turkey Valley freshman Jalyssa Blazek.

*-State Qualifying meet champion