Liberty High Junior Keeney Posts Second Straight Top-10 State Meet Finish
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
FORT DODGE – Ashlyn Keeney knows what it takes to compete for a title at the state cross country meet.
The Liberty High standout has done just that each of the past two seasons.
Keeney wanted to push for another state championship on Friday but knew that a sore hamstring likely wouldn’t allow that to happen.
Even at less than 100 percent Keeney showed she is still among the elite runners in the state.
Keeney posted her second consecutive top-10 finish at the Class 4A state meet placing ninth in a time of 18:34.7 at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge.
“I knew what I wanted to do but I just told myself I was going to get the best place I could,” Keeney said. “I’m obviously disappointed but given the circumstances I’m proud of myself.”
Keeney was runner-up at the state meet last season and entered Friday ranked fifth in Class 4A.
She was also dealing with a nagging hamstring injury that has followed up hip problems that plagued her earlier.
“My hips were bothering me and that slightly started to go away and now my hamstring has been hurting and bugging me and if I take time off it usually gets a little better but it’s been bothering me pretty good,” Keeney said. “It’s a bummer.”
Keeney finished more than five seconds in front of 10th place Lillian Schmidt of Dubuque Senior and four seconds back of West Des Moines Valley freshman Addison Dorenkamp who was eighth in 18:30.7.
Dubuque Hempstead freshman Keelee Leitzen won the individual title by more than 10 seconds over Lauren Schulze of West Des Moines Valley finishing in a time of 18:08.
Johnston won the team title for the second consecutive season and fourth time in five seasons with 64 points.
“The past couple of years I came in thinking I had a pretty good chance of getting first but you never know what is going to happen,” Keeney said. “You might not have a good day, other people could have a really great day. Anything can happen.”
Keeney led a trio of Liberty High individual qualifiers as senior Cami Mac placed 36th in a time of 19:44 and freshman Cori Mac was 59th in 20:04.6.
City High junior Rowan Boulter was 48th in 19:55.6 while senior Lillian Reynolds was 65th in 20:09.
It was the third consecutive state meet appearance for Boulter who placed 21st and 36th the previous two seasons.
“I was so grateful that we were able to come here and have this opportunity,” Boulter said. “I even had my doubts going into districts, I was really worried I wouldn’t be able to get qualify and I took a lot of pride in getting here. After a tough season it was nice to know I was still up in the mix with all these amazing runners.
Class 4A State Meet
At Lakeside Golf Course
Team scores – 1. Johnston 64; 2. West Des Moines Valley 87; 3. Ankeny Centennial 141; 4. Linn-Mar 158; 5. Southeast Polk 174; 6. Dubuque Senior 179; 7. Dubuque Hempstead 202; 8. Pleasant Valley 218; 9. Cedar Rapids Prairie 226; 10. Waukee 238; 11. Bettendorf 240; 12. Ankeny 243; 13. West Des Moines Dowling 290; 14. Urbandale 301; 15. Indianola 367
Individual medalists – 1. Keelee Leitzen (Dubuque Hempstead) 18:08; 2. Lauren Schulze (West Des Moines Valley) 18:18.3; 3. Kaia Downs (Sioux City East) 18:20; 4. Bella Heikes (Johnston) 18:20.2; 5. Micah Poellet (Linn-Mar) 18:21.4; 6. Lauren McMahon (Ankeny) 18:27.6; 7. Olivia Verde (Johnston) 18:27.9; 8. Addison Dorenkamp (West Des Moines Valley) 18:30.7; 9. Ashlyn Keeney (Liberty High) 18:34.7; 10. Lillian Schmidt (Dubuque Senior) 18:40; 11. Aleah Tenpas (Johnston) 18:43.9; 12. Julia Gehl (Dubuque Hempstead) 18:46; 13. Mattison Plummer (Southeast Polk) 18:51.9; 14. Rondi Quass (Ankeny Centennial) 18:54.4; 15. Kamryn Ensley (West Des Moines Valley) 19:10.9
Liberty High – 9. Ashlyn Keeney 18:34.7; 36. Cami Mac 19:44; 59. Cori Mac 20:04.6
City High – 48. Rowan Boulter 19:55.6; 65. Lillian Reynolds 20:09.5
Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.
