Seven Boys Cross Country Runners to Watch This Season in the Your Prep Sports Area
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
Cross country runners around the state have been prepping for the season for the past several months training through the heat of the Iowa summer.
Athletes in the Your Prep Sports are poised to see that work pay off in just a few days with the first meets of the season for area teams set for as early as next week.
Once again the Your Prep Sports area expects to feature some of the top teams and individuals in the state.
Clear Creek Amana, West High and Liberty High all return talented runners from teams that posted top-10 state meet finishes last season.
Before the season officially gets started we take a look at seven of the top area boys cross country runners to watch.
Brandon Barker
Senior, Clear Creek Amana
A four-year varsity regular Barker has played a pivotal part in helping build Clear Creek Amana into a perennial power in Class 3A.
The breakthrough for Barker came in his third varsity season as put together one of the best individual seasons in program history with a runner-up finish at the WAMAC, a district title and a state medal.
Barker capped his season with the first state medal of his career, placing 13th in 16:30.7 to help Clear Creek Amana to a runner-up team finish.
Jack Kinzer
Senior, Liberty High
Kinzer emerged as a leader within a Liberty High program that enjoyed the most successful season in program history last fall.
One of the most consistent runners for the Lightning last season, Kinzer helped Liberty High to its first ever state meet appearance and a top-10 finish at the 4A state meet.
Kinzer placed 15th at the MVC Super Meet, sixth at the state qualifier and 42nd at the 4A state meet in a time of 16:35.1.
Ford Washburn
Sophomore, City High
In his first varsity season Washburn flashed his high-end potential concluding a strong debut performance with a top-20 finish at the 4A state meet.
Washburn peaked in the postseason, going from 24th at the MVC Super Meet to seventh at the 4A state qualifier before turning in his strong state meet performance.
In his first trip to the state meet Washburn placed 20th in a career-best time of 16:10.4, the best performance for any underclassmen in 4A and one of only three top-20 finishes for any freshman at state.
Gabe Hinman
Junior, Solon
Already a two-time state qualifier Hinman is seeking a breakthrough season after showing steady progress in each of his first two seasons.
Hinman followed up a strong freshman season that featured a 46th place finish at the Class 3A state meet by placing seventh at the WAMAC meet and 35th at the state meet.
The ninth-fastest underclassman at the 3A state meet last season, Hinman took more than 25 seconds off his state meet time from his freshman season in his return trip last fall.
Alex McKane
Junior, West High
Part of one of the top underclassmen duos in the state along with Nico Schianchi, McKane enjoyed his own stellar sophomore season last year as a consistent leader at the front of the West High pack.
McKane posted top-10 finishes at the MVC Super Meet, MVC Divisional meet and state qualifier before placing 32nd at the 4A state meet.
Already a two-time state qualifier, McKane is poised for a breakout season as West High is prepped to improve on its eighth-place team finish from a year ago.
Bowen Gryp
Senior, Liberty High
Gryp had an immediate impact in his first season in the program teaming with Kinzer to provide an imposing 1-2 punch for the Lightning.
The top finisher for Liberty High throughout the postseason Gryp placed 12th at the MVC Super Meet, ninth at the Valley Divisional meet and fifth at the state qualifier.
Gryp was 91st in his debut at the 4A state meet as Liberty High placed 10th as a team in its first ever appearance.
Caleb Alcorn
Senior, Clear Creek Amana
A four-year varsity veteran Alcorn will look to take on a larger leadership role this season after the Clippers lost three key seniors to graduation.
Alcorn is no stranger to high-level competition.
He has competed at the state meet each of the past three seasons leading Clear Creek Amana to top-10 finishes each year and placed 25th at state as a sophomore.
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