Taking a Closer Look at the Class 3A State Qualifying Meets
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
The cross country postseason is here one day earlier than usual.
State qualifying meets for Class 4A and 3A schools will be held across the state on Wednesday, a day earlier than previously scheduled and past years in a move dictated by COVID-19.
In an effort to accommodate competition and crowds with COVID-19 precautions the state cross country meet was split from a one-day to a two-day event.
Also, state qualifying meets were split into two days beginning with the big school qualifiers on Wednesday.
Classes 1A and 2A will have state qualifying meets on Thursday.
The state meet is set for Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge with Classes 3A and 4A competing on October 30 and Classes 1A and 2A running on October 31.
On Wednesday the fields for the 3A and 4A races will be set.
We take a quick look at the Class 3A state qualifying meets featuring Your Prep Sports area teams.
Class 3A State Qualifier
Girls Race
When: Wednesday, 4 p.m.
Where: Monticello High School
Teams: Clear Creek Amana; Solon; Davenport Assumption; Central DeWitt; Maquoketa; Monticello; Mount Pleasant; Dubuque Wahlert; Washington; West Burlington/Notre Dame; West Delaware; Cedar Rapids Xavier
Ranked teams: No. 3 Dubuque Wahlert; No. 4 Solon; No. 6 Davenport Assumption
Ranked Individuals: No. 9 Gabby Moran, Sr., Dubuque Wahlert; No. 17 Laney Fitzpatrick, Sr., Davenport Assumption; No. 19 Kiersten Conway, Sr., Solon; No. 20 Alix Oliver, Sr., Dubuque Wahlert; No. 23 Haidyn Barker, Soph., Clear Creek Amana; No. 24 Ellie Meyer, Jr., Dubuque Wahlert
Team title chase: Solon believes it is a contender for a top-three finish and a spot on the balcony in Fort Dodge next week.
The Spartans will get a good look at exactly where it stands with some of the best in the state at top-heavy state qualifying meet that features half of the top six ranked teams in Class 3A.
Third-ranked Dubuque Wahlert is the favorite and the Golden Eagles hold that distinction with good reason after winning the 3A state title a year ago.
Fourth-ranked Solon has shown it can compete with the state’s best, throw in sixth-ranked Davenport Assumption and the team race should be as good as any qualifier around.
Athlete to watch: Solon senior Kiersten Conway just keeps getting better.
Already a three-time state qualifier Conway came up with the best performance of her career last week winning her first WAMAC conference title in a school-record time of 19:15.8.
Conway will need to be at her best again on Wednesday to keep up with a stellar field that features six ranked runners.
Breakdown: Solon should have no trouble locking up a top-three finish and third consecutive trip to the state meet on Wednesday.
However, the Spartans have an opportunity to send a message to the rest of the state that they are a legitimate 3A title contender with a strong showing.
Dubuque Wahlert returns four of its top five runners from last year’s title team and will provide perhaps the toughest test the Spartans have seen this season.
Solon will rely on its signature depth that put seven runners in the top 21 at the WAMAC meet.
Clear Creek Amana sophomore Haidyn Barker is coming off a stellar showing at the WAMAC meet when she placed runner-up to Conway in 19:33.4 and is seeking her first trip to the state meet.
Dubuque Wahlert junior Gabby Moran was third at the state meet last season and enters as the favorite to win the individual title but will have plenty of competition with Conway, Barker and Davenport Assumption senior Laney Fitzpatrick.
Boys Race
When: Wednesday, 4:30 p.m.
Where: Monticello High School
Teams: Clear Creek Amana; Solon; Davenport Assumption; Central DeWitt; Maquoketa; Monticello; Mount Pleasant; Dubuque Wahlert; Washington; West Burlington/Notre Dame; West Delaware; Cedar Rapids Xavier
Ranked teams: No. 3 Solon; No. 12 Monticello; No. 14 Clear Creek Amana;
Ranked Individuals: No. 12 Nathan Munshower, Sr., Dubuque Wahlert; No. 15 Gavin Zillyette, Jr., Clear Creek Amana; No. 16 Brandon Barker, Sr., Clear Creek Amana; No. 23 Gabe Hinman, Jr., Solon; No. 24 Jasper Nietert, Sr., Monticello
Team title chase: Solon will look to continue an impressive breakthrough season in which the Spartans have emerged as a top-five team in Class 3A.
The Spartans held off fourth-ranked Marion and No. 9 Center Point-Urbana to win the WAMAC meet last week and will look to add a state qualifying meet title on Wednesday while securing the first state meet berth since 2010.
Solon is the favorite to win the team title with Clear Creek Amana, Monticello and Dubuque Wahlert poised to battle for the final two spots at the state meet.
Athlete to watch: After competing at the state meet each of the last two years Clear Creek Amana junior Gavin Zillyette knows what it feels like to peak at the right time.
So when Zillyette said he felt as good as he ever had at the WAMAC meet last week it raised eyebrows.
After placing fifth at the WAMAC meet last season Zillyette will attempt to lead the Clippers back to the state meet for the fifth consecutive season.
Breakdown: Solon is seeking its first trip to the state meet in a decade while Clear Creek Amana is looking to extend its streak of state tournament appearances to half a decade.
Both teams should be in good shape to make good on those goals on Wednesday.
Keep an eye on the individual race as several area runners have a chance to compete for the top spot.
Dubuque Wahlert senior Nathan Munshower is the top-ranked individual at No.12 but Zillyette and teammate Brandon Barker are both capable of pushing to the front of Wednesday along with the Solon duo of Gabe Hinman and Tyler Bilskie.
As always, the key for Solon will be its depth.
The Spartans put five runners in the top 15 at the WAMAC meet last week with freshman Brick Kabela (11th) and Michael Yeomans (15th) and senior Ben DeValk (14th) joining Bilskie and Hinman.
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