Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

For years the Your Prep Sports has been home to some of the top girls cross country programs in the state.

The longest active state meet streak resides at West High at an impressive 24 straight years at state.

Three area teams in three separate classes reached the state meet a year ago including Regina which finished runner-up in Class 1A.

This year should be no different with a long list of talented area runners returning. Before meets get rolling later this month here is a look at seven area girls cross country runners to keep tabs on this fall.

Rowan Boulter

Sophomore, City High

One of a strong group of area newcomers last season Boulter was a state qualifier in her varsity debut season.

Boulter placed eighth at the Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet as a freshman and followed that up with a fifth-place finish at the state qualifier before finishing 36th in her state meet debut in 19:53.9.

With a year of experience under her belt Boulter is part of a strong group of returning runners for City High which is looking to return to the state meet after missing last season.

Ashlyn Keeney

Sophomore, Liberty High

Anyone that follows running in Iowa is well aware of Keeney.

The Liberty High standout made headlines with an impressive freshman season that started with an unbeaten regular season in cross country and included Drake Relays and state track titles.

Keeney was dominant as a freshman on her way MVC Super Meet and Divisional Meet and state qualifying titles before finishing 72nd at the Class 4A state meet.

Keeney returns this fall with an eye on a state title while helping the Lightning reach Fort Dodge as a team.

Maddy Negley

Junior, West High

If West High is to push its state-best streak of state meet appearances to a quarter of a century Negley will need to lead a group of returning runners with state experience.

Negley is one of five returning West High runners with state meet experience after finishing 61st at the Class 4A meet last season in 20:18.5.

Emma Bock

Sophomore, Solon

Bock played a key role in helping Solon return to the state meet for the second time in three seasons finishing runner-up at the WAMAC conference meet and adding a sixth-place showing at the state qualifying meet.

She finished 58th at the state meet in a time of 20:45.9 and joins a group of six returning varsity runners that hopes to help the Spartans improve on its 11th place team finish from last season.

Annalee Bartels

Junior, Regina

Bartels made an immediate impact in her first season of cross country finishing fifth at the Class 1A state meet to help Regina to a runner-up team finish.

The sophomore won a title at the state qualifying meet and before claiming her first state medal in a time of 19:49.4.

Bartels returns as one of four Regal runners with state meet experience as Regina seeks more state hardware this season.

Josie Voss

Sophomore, Regina

Another Regina rookie back for more this season, Voss had a strong debut season that featured a fourth-place finish at the 1A state qualifier and ended with a top-25 showing at the state meet.

Voss was 22nd at the 1A state meet in a time of 20:45.1 and was just more than four seconds off of a top-20 finish in her first trip to the state meet.

Kiersten Conway

Junior, Solon

An anchor in the Solon lineup for the past two seasons Conway is seeking a state medal after posting back-to-back top-25 finishes in her first two seasons.

Conway as 22nd at the state meet in 2017 as a freshman and placed 25th at the Class 3A state meet last season in 20:01.7.

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