Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The first ever Your Prep Sports boys cross country team honors seven of the top area runners for their performance this season.

This year’s team is made up of runners from four different schools and features a district champion, state meet qualifiers and medalists and school record holders.

Clear Creek Amana senior Nick O’Connor is the team captain after closing his career with an 11th place finish at the Class 3A state meet to help the Clippers to their second consecutive state runner-up finish.

Nick O’Connor (Captain)

Senior, Clear Creek Amana

The first four-time state qualifier in program history O’Connor closed his career with his first individual state medal finishing 11th at the Class 3A state meet.

In his final race at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge O’Connor clocked his best state meet time while helping Clear Creek Amana to a second consecutive Class 3A runner-up finish.

O’Connor placed third at the WAMAC Conference meet and was fifth at the state qualifier helping the Clippers to team titles at both meets.

Nicolo Schianchi

Sophomore, West High

Schianchi had an immediate impact as a freshman last season but the breakthrough season for the West High standout came this season as a sophomore.

In his second varsity season Schianchi wasted no time assuming the role as the leader of the West High pack posting top-seven finishes at the Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet, MVC Divisional meet and Class 4A district meet in successive weeks.

Schianchi capped his stellar sophomore season by running a career-best time of 16:13 on his way to a 23rd place finish at the Class 4A state meet.

The time of 16:13 was 50 seconds faster than the time Schianchi ran at the state meet as a freshman and was the second fastest time by an underclassman at state in any class.

Brandon Barker

Junior, Clear Creek Amana

Barker enjoyed his own breakthrough this fall putting together one of the best seasons for an individual in Clear Creek Amana history.

The junior finished runner-up at the WAMAC Conference meet and a week later became the first individual district champion in program history while helping the Clippers win team titles at both meets.

Barker earned the first state medal of his career placing 13th at the Class 3A state meet in a time of 16:30.7.

Ford Washburn

Freshman, City High

In his first taste of varsity competition Washburn continued to get better and better every week before capping a stellar debut season with a strong performance at the state meet.

Washburn improved his finish in three consecutive races down the stretch, going from a 24th place finish at the Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet to eighth at the MVC Divisional and seventh at the state qualifying meet.

In his first trip to the Class 4A state meet Washburn placed 20th in a career-best time of 16:10.4, the top time state meet time for a freshman in any of the four classes.

The 20th place finish was one of only three top-20 performances by a freshman at state across all four classes this season and the top finish for a City High runner at state since Brook Price placed fourth in 2012.

Alex McKane 

Sophomore, West High

Another West High sophomore to make huge strides this season, McKane followed up a solid debut season with a breakthrough sophomore campaign.

A consistent runner toward the front of the West High pack, McKane posted top-10 finishes at the MVC Super Meet (ninth), MVC Divisional meet (eighth) and state qualifying meet (eighth).

In his second appearance at the Class 4A state meet McKane placed 32nd in a time of 16:26.5 to help West High to an eighth-place team finish.

Jack Kinzer

Junior, Liberty High

Liberty High took its program to new heights this season and the performance of Kinzer and fellow junior Bowen Gryp were two of the biggest reasons for the rise.

Kinzer was perhaps the most consistent runner for Liberty High this season as the Lightning secured the first state meet appearance in program history.

The junior just kept getting better as the season went on, following up a 15th place showing at the Mississippi Valley Conference Super meet by placing 10th at the MVC Valley Divisional and sixth at the 4A state qualifying meet.

Kinzer finished 42nd at the state meet in a time of 16:35.1. 

Bowen Gryp

Junior, Liberty High

In his first season in the program Gryp had an instant impact helping the Lightning reach the state meet for the first time in history.

Gryp was the top finisher for the Lightning for most of the postseason placing 12th at the MVC Super Meet, ninth at the Valley Divisional meet and fifth at the state qualifying meet before placing 91st in his debut at the Class 4A state meet.

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