Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Class 4A Boys

Where: Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge

When: Saturday, 11:30 a.m.

Team Qualifiers: *Cedar Falls, Ames, Cedar Rapids Kennedy, *Sioux City North, Urbandale, Waukee, *Cedar Rapids Prairie, Johnston, Liberty High, *Pleasant Valley, Dubuque Hempstead, Linn-Mar, *West Des Moines Dowling, West High, Southeast Polk

Individual district champions: Jacob Green, Sr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Payton Marrs, Sr., Urbandale; Jack Pendergast, Sr., Cedar Rapids Prairie; Max Murphy, Sr., Pleasant Valley; Sam Hall, Sr., West Des Moines Dowling;

2018 Team Top Five: 1. West Des Moines Dowling; 2. Dubuque Hempstead; 3. Cedar Rapids Washington; 4. Pleasant Valley; 5. Ankeny

Last 5 team champions: 2018 – West Des Moines Dowling; 2017 – Pleasant Valley; 2016 – West Des Moines Dowling; 2015 – West Des Moines Dowling; 2014 – Linn-Mar

Returning state placers: 2. Jack Pendergast, Sr., Cedar Rapids Prairie; 4. Sam Hall, Sr., West Des Moines Dowling; 6. Jacob Green, Sr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy; 7. Dylan Dolezal, Sr., Linn-Mar; 8. Zach Fry, Sr., West Des Moines Dowling; 9. Aniey Akok, Jr., Ames; 11. Lewis Kleman, Sr., Cedar Rapids Washington; 13. Ryan Winger, Jr., Dubuque Hempstead; 14. Kent Nichols, Sr., Pleasant Valley

Area individual qualifiers: Ford Washburn, Fr., City High  

Top ranked teams: 1. Pleasant Valley; 2. Dubuque Hempstead; 3. West Des Moines Dowling; 4. Cedar Rapids Prairie; 5. Cedar Falls;

Ranked area teams: 9. West High; 10. Liberty High

Top ranked individuals: 1. Max Murphy, Sr., Pleasant Valley; 2. Sam Hall, Sr., West Des Moines Dowling; 3. Ryan Winger, Jr., Dubuque Hempstead; 4. Jacob Green, Sr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy; 5. Dylan Dolezal, Sr., Linn-Mar

Ranked area individuals: 20. Ford Washburn, Fr., City High; 29. Nicolo Schianchi, Soph., West High.

Breakdown: West High had to replace three of its top four runners including standout Kolby Greiner from last year’s team that placed seventh at the state meet but has found its way back to Fort Dodge and appears to be peaking at the perfect time.

The Trojans were runner-up to third-ranked West Des Moines Dowling at the state qualifying meet and have a pair of sophomores ready for potential breakthrough performances on Saturday in 29th ranked Nicolo Schianchi and Alex McKane.

Schianchi was 65th at state last year while McKane finished 68th. Senior Ken Wilbur is the top returning state placer for the Trojans after finishing 33rd a year ago.

Liberty High will make its state meet debut after finishing third at the state qualifying meet.

The Lightning have proven to belong in the conversation with the top teams in Class 4A this season and have a pair of runners capable of pushing for top-15 finishes in juniors Bowen Gryp and Jack Kinzer.

City High has an individual qualifier for the second consecutive season as 20th ranked freshman Ford Wasburn qualifier with a seventh-place performance at the state qualifying meet.

West Des Moines Dowling edged Dubuque Hempstead by a point of the team title last season and those two teams figure to battle top-ranked Pleasant Valley for the top spot on Saturday.

The individual title should be fun with five of last year’s top eight finishers returning to the field.

Defending runner-up Jack Pendergast of Cedar Rapids Prairie, West Des Moines Dowling’s Sam Hall and Max Murphy of Pleasant Valley appear to be the class of the field but the MVC trio of Jacob Green of Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Dylan Dolezal of Linn-Mar and Ryan Winger of Dubuque Hempstead all have the ability to pull to the front of the pack and stay there.

Class 4A Girls

Where: Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge

When: Saturday, 11 a.m.

Team Qualifiers: *Dubuque Senior, City High, Western Dubuque, *Waukee, Sioux City East, Urbandale, *Johnston, Indianola, Cedar Rapids Prairie, *Linn-Mar, Dubuque Hempstead, Bettendorf, *Southeast Polk, West Des Moines Valley, West Des Moines Dowling

Individual district champions: Camille Jackson, Sr., Ames; Kaia Downs, Soph., Sioux City East; Ashlyn Keeney, Soph., Liberty High; Micah Poellet, Jr., Linn-Mar; Arianna Jackson, Fr., Des Moines Roosevelt.

2018 Team Top Five: 1. Southeast Polk; 2. Johnston; 3. West Des Moines Valley; 4. Dubuque Senior; 5. Waukee

Last 5 team champions: 2018 – Southeast Polk; 2017 – Johnston; 2016 – Johnston; 2015 – Urbandale; 2014 – Johnston

Returning state placers: 1. Micah Poellet, Jr., Linn-Mar; 2. Mattison Plummer, Jr., Southeast Polk; 3. Brooke McKee, Sr., Johnston; 4. Grace Larkins, Jr., Southeast Polk; 5. Claire Edmondson, Jr., Dubuque Senior; 6. Lillian Schmidt, Soph., Dubuque Senior; 7. Sydney Schaffer, Sr., Waukee; 8. Chloe Skidmore, Jr., Linn-Mar; 9. Camille Jackson, Sr., Ames; 11. Aleah Tenpas, Soph., Johnston; 12. Kaia Downs, Soph., Sioux City East; 15. Lauren Schulze, Jr., West Des Moines Valley

Area individual qualifiers: Ashlyn Keeney, Soph., Liberty High; 28. McKenzie Logan, Jr., Liberty High; Cami Mac, Jr., Liberty High; Maddy Negley, Jr., West High; Annie Schwartz, Fr., West High; Camden Zirker, Soph., West High

Top ranked teams: 1. Johnston; 2. Dubuque Senior; 3. Waukee; 4. Linn-Mar; 5. Southeast Polk

Ranked area teams: 6. City High

Top ranked individuals: 1. Camille Jackson, Sr., Ames; 2. Ashlyn Keeney, Soph., Liberty High; 3. Emily Naughton, Fr., Indianola; 4. Micah Poellet, Jr. Linn-Mar; 5. Lillian Schmidt, Jr., Dubuque Senior

Ranked area individuals: 2. Ashlyn Keeney, Soph., Liberty High; 6. Rowan Boulter, Soph., City High; 28. McKenzie Logan, Jr., Liberty High

Breakdown: After seeing its state-record string of consecutive state meet appearances end at 30 a year ago City High is back at the state meet and prepared to push for a top-five finish.

The Little Hawks have closed the season strong behind sophomore Rowan Boulter who has risen to sixth in the Class 4A rankings following strong showings at the MVC postseason meets and state qualifier.

Boulter made her state meet debut last season finishing 36th as an individual qualifier.

City High should push for a top-five finish but the competition at the top of 4A is stiff with defending champion Southeast Polk, top-ranked Johnson and Mississippi Valley Conference powers Dubuque Senior and Linn-Mar.

After a disappointing state finish last season Liberty High sophomore standout Ashlyn Keeney is back and seeking a first state title.

Keeney was undefeated a year ago before finishing 72nd at the state meet and will be in the title hunt this season with top-ranked Ames senior Camille Jackson and defending champion Micah Poellet of Linn-Mar battling Keeney for the top spot.

Liberty High and West High each just missed qualifying as a team for the state meet but each send a trio of individual qualifiers.

West High has a pair of runners returning to Fort Dodge with state meet experience in junior Maddy Negley and sophomore Camden Zirker.
Juniors Cami Mac and McKenzie Logan join Keeney as the Liberty High runners in the 4A field.

*-State qualifying meet champion

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