Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Class 3A Boys

Where: Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge

When: Saturday, 12:30 p.m.  

Team Qualifiers: Carlisle*, North Polk, Atlantic, Gilbert*, Waverly-Shell Rock, Humboldt, Dubuque Wahlert*, Decorah, Marion; Dallas Center-Grimes*, Norwalk, Pella, Clear Creek Amana*, Center Point-Urbana, Grinnell

Individual district champions: Nate Mueller, Jr., ADM; Quinton Orr, Jr., Humboldt; Brady Hogan, Jr., Decorah; Aidan Ramsey, Soph., Dallas Center-Grimes; Brandon Barker, Jr., Clear Creek Amana

2018 Team Top Five: 1. Gilbert; 2. Clear Creek Amana; 3. Marion; 4. Carlisle; 5. Pella

Last 5 team champions: 2018 – Gilbert; 2017 – Gilbert; 2016 – Mount Vernon-Lisbon; 2015 – Mount Vernon-Lisbon; 2014 – Gilbert

Returning state placers: 2. Quinton Orr, Jr., Humboldt; 3. Nate Mueller, Jr., ADM; 4. Luke Post, Jr., Center Point-Urbana; 5. Rees Tyler, Sr., Gilbert; 6. Nathan Patel, Sr., Gilbert; 7. Jack Sexton, Sr., Clear Creek Amana; 9. Josiah Wittenberg, Soph., Pella; 11. Cole Hemann, Sr., Marion; 12. Brady Hogan, Jr., Decorah; 15. Bradley Ramsey, Sr., Dallas Center-Grimes

Area individual qualifiers: Gabe Hinman, Soph., Solon

Top ranked teams: 1. Clear Creek Amana; 2. Carlisle; 3. Dallas Center-Grimes; 4. Center Point-Urbana; 5. Dubuque Wahlert

Ranked area teams: 1. Clear Creek Amana

Top ranked individuals: 1. Nate Mueller, Jr., ADM; 2. Quinton Orr, Jr., Humboldt; 3. Aidan Ramsey, Soph., Dallas Center-Grimes; 4. Brady Hogan, Jr., Decorah; 5. Brandon Barker, Jr., Clear Creek Amana

Ranked area individuals: 5. Brandon Barker, Jr., Clear Creek Amana; 12. Nick O’Connor, Sr., Clear Creek Amana; 19. Jack Sexton, Sr., Clear Creek Amana; 30. Gavin Zillyette, Soph., Clear Creek Amana

Breakdown: If Clear Creek Amana is to continue its four-year ascent toward the top of Class there is only one more jump the Clippers can take and it’s a big one.

Clear Creek Amana has steadily improved each of the past four seasons under head coach Ben Robison.

The Clippers finished 14th in the second state meet appearance in program history in 2016, climbed to tenth in 2017 before finishing runner-up to two-time champion Gilbert a year ago.

This season the Clippers enter as the favorites after an impressive season that included a second consecutive state qualifying meet title.

Clear Creek Amana has front of the pack title with a pair of runners ranked in the top 12 in fifth-ranked sophomore Brandon Barker and No. 12 senior Nick O’Connor.

However its depth that makes the Clippers the 3A favorite.

Senior Jack Sexton posted the top individual finish in program history a year ago placing seventh and is ranked 19th while sophomore Gavin Zillyette is ranked No. 30.

Carlisle was fourth a year ago, 48 points behind Clear Creek Amana and will be the top challenger this season along with third-ranked Dallas Center-Grimes and WAMAC rival Center Point-Urbana who Clear Creek Amana has defeated in each of its last two races at the WAMAC Conference meet and the state qualifying meet.

With seven of the top 10 finishers from last season returning the individual title race will be crowded with defending state runner-up Quinton Orr of Humboldt and AMD junior Nate Mueller the top challengers along with the Clear Creek Amana trio.

Solon sophomore Gabe Hinman returns to the state meet for the second consecutive meet as an individual qualifier and will seek to improve on a 46th-place finish from last season.

Class 3A Girls

Where: Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge

When: Saturday, Noon

Team Qualifiers: *Harlan, Glenwood, ADM, *Ballard, Spencer, Sioux City Heelan, *Dubuque Wahlert, Decorah, Charles City, *Dallas Center-Grimes, Norwalk, Pella, *Solon, Center Point-Urbana, Grinnell

Individual district champions: Ainsley Erzen, Soph., Carlisle; Emma Hoins, Sr., Waverly-Shell Rock; Kiki Connell, Jr., Charles City; Megan Sterbenz, Jr., Dallas Center-Grimes; Adrianna Katcher, Sr., Center Point-Urbana

2018 Team Top Five: 1. Dubuque Wahlert; 2. Dallas Center-Grimes; 3. Glenwood; 4. Ballard; 5. Sioux City Heelan

Last 5 team champions: 2018 – Dubuque Wahlert; 2017 – Dubuque Wahlert; 2016 – Decorah; 2015 – Davenport Assumption; 2014 – Decorah

Returning state placers: 2. Adrianna Katcher, Sr., Center Point-Urbana; 3. Gabby Moran, Jr., Dubuque Wahlert; 4. Ainsley Erzen, Soph., Carlisle; 5. Ellie Twedt, Sr., Ballard; 6. Taylor McCreedy, Jr., Atlantic; 8. Megan Sterbenz, Jr., Dallas Center-Grimes; 9. Bryce Gidel, Sr., Humboldt; 10. Mary Blanchard, Sr., Grinnell; 11. Amber Aesoph, Sr., Sioux City Heelan; 12. Aunna Huseman, Sr., Dubuque Wahlert; 14. Emma Hoins, Jr., Waverly-Shell Rock; 15. Alix Oliver, Jr., Dubuque Wahlert

Area individual qualifiers: Haidyn Barker, Fr., Clear Creek Amana

Top ranked teams: 1. Dubuque Wahlert; 2. Ballard; 3. Dallas Center-Grimes; 4. Decorah; 5. Harlan;

Ranked area teams: 6. Solon  

Top ranked individuals: 1. Ainsley Ersen, Soph., Carlisle; 2. Adrianna Katcher, Sr., Center Point-Urbana; 3. Megan Sterbenz, Jr., Dallas Center-Grimes; 4. Kiki Connell, Jr., Charles City; 5. Gabby Moran, Soph., Dubuque Wahlert

Ranked area individuals: 27. Haidyn Barker, Fr., Clear Creek Amana

Breakdown: Solon returns to the state meet for the third time in four seasons seeking a top-10 finish for the first time since 2012.

Sixth-ranked Solon should improve on an 11th place finish from a year ago which would put the Spartans in the top 10 for the first time since posting three consecutive fourth-place finishes from 2010 to 2012.

Another top-five performance certainly isn’t out of the question for a young Solon squad.

The Spartans don’t have a ranked runner instead relying on a deep lineup that put five runners in the top 20 while winning the state qualifying meet.

Junior Kiersten Conway is a two-time state qualifier and finished 25th overall last season while sophomore Emma Bock was 58th a year ago.

Solon brings back six of seven runners from last year’s team that placed 11th at state as seniors Aira Foster and Nicole Shafer return with state meet experience along with Bock, Conway and sophomores Meghan O’Neill and Kaia Holtkamp.

Dubuque Senior is the favorite to claim a third consecutive title after pulling away to win the team title by 39 points last season over Dallas Center-Grimes.

Dallas Center-Grimes and last year’s fourth-place finisher Ballard should be the top challengers to the Golden Eagles who have three runners ranked in the top 30.

The individual title could end up a two-person race between top-ranked Carlisle sophomore Ainsley Erzen who was fourth a year ago and Center Point-Urbana senior Adrianna Katcher.

Katcher won 3A titles in 2016 and 2017 and was runner-up last season.

Clear Creek Amana freshman Haidyn Barker enters ranked 27th and should push for a state medal in her first appearance at the state meet.

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