Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

West High

Coach: Josh Kidman (4th season)

Last season: 11^th at Class 4A state meet

Returning letterwinners: Alex McKane, Sr.; Caden Noeller, Sr.; Seth Cheney, Jr.; Asher Overholt, Jr.,

Newcomers to watch: Moustafa Tiea, Fr.; Nader Rahal, Sr.

Headliner: A three-time state meet qualifier senior Alex McKane returns after earning his first state medal with an 11^th place finish at the 4A state meet last season in 16:15.6.

Keep an eye on: Senior Caden Noeller is already a two-time state qualifier and posted a 40^th place finish at the state meet last season.

Ready for a breakthrough: Junior Seth Cheney missed the state meet last season but has high-end potential and is capable of pushing for a spot at the front of the pack at meets this season.

Breakdown: West High had a string of nine consecutive top-10 finishes at the state meet end last season with its 11^th place finish at the 4A meet.

With three runners returning from that team that finished 11^th at state led by McKane and Noeller don’t expect the Trojans to remain out of the top-10 for long.

McKane, Noeller and Cheney give the Trojans a strong trio at the front and junior Asher Overholt was a member of the state tournament squad from a year ago.

City High

Coach: Jayme Skay (24^th season)

Assistant coaches: Ross Salinas, Steve Dodge, Jay Welp, Evan Risk, Jeremy Negus

Last season: 8^th at Class 4A state meet

Returning letterwinners: Ford Washburn, Jr.; Truman Thompson, Jr.; Noah Carey, Jr.; Elliot Dunnwald, Sr.; Parker Max, Sr.; Ammon Smith, Jr.;

Newcomers to watch: Sam Schaefer, Sr.; Matt Schaeckenbach, Jr.; Sullivan Hall, Sr.

Headliner: Junior Ford Washburn has rapidly risen into the pack of elite runners in the state jumping from a 20^th place state meet finish as a sophomore to a sixth-place finish at the 4A state meet last fall.

Keep an eye on: Junior Truman Thompson finished 19^th in his state meet debut last season as a sophomore and his time of 16:26.1 was just more than seven seconds off of a top-15 finish.

Ready for a breakthrough: Junior Noah Carey has been overshadowed a tad by classmates Washburn and Thompson but showed he can compete with the best in the state last season placing 60^th at the 4A state meet.

Breakdown: City High finished eighth at the 4A state meet last season with a lineup that featured four sophomores, two juniors and one senior.

The top six finishers at state all return for the Little Hawks who open the season ranked third in Class 4A.

Washburn, Thompson and Carey give the Little Hawks a top three that ranks among the best in the state but depth is there as well with seniors Elliot Dunnwald and Parker Max and junior Ammon Smith all returning with state meet experience.

Liberty High

Coach: Josh Hildebrand (5^th season)

Last season: 6^th at Class 4A state meet

Returning letterwinners: Christian Montover, Sr.; Gavin Keeney, Sr.; Aidan Decker, Soph.; Jordan Robinson, Sr.; Logan Nelson, Sr.; Ethan Keeney, Sr.; Boden Bisgard, Jr.

Headliner: Sophomore Aidan Decker made an impressive debut last season in a lineup filled with senior standouts placing 36^th at the state meet in a time of 16:44.5.

Keep an eye on: Senior Christian Montover showed the ability to run at the front of the pack at times last fall and wrapped up a solid season by placing 52^nd at the 4A state meet.

Ready for a breakthrough: Senior Gavin Keeney is a hard worker that is ready to make a sizeable jump as a senior after finishing 94^th at the state meet last season.

Breakdown: Liberty High made history last season finishing sixth at the Class 4A state meet in just its fourth year as a program.

The Lightning lost a trio of talented seniors in Bowen Gryp, Jack Kinzer and Caleb Schillinger from last year’s team but have built depth throughout the program which showed as the Lightning had all seven runners finish in 17:33.5 or better at the state meet.

Decker and Montover have high-end talent and Gavin Keeney and Jordan Robinson both return with valuable state meet experience under their belts helping Liberty High to a No. 4 preseason ranking in Class 4A.

Clear Creek Amana

Coach: Ben Robison (7^th season)

Assistant coaches: Jim White, Paige O’Brien, Megan Miller

Last season: 5^th at WAMAC Conference Meet

Returning letterwinners: Gavin Zillyette, Sr.; Peyton Stadler, Jr.; Cameron Kimm, Jr., Jackson Schloss, Jr.; Noah Yost, Soph.

Newcomers to watch: Cash Jensen, Jr.; Brock Hilsman, Fr.; Tate Schloss, Fr.

Headliner: Senior Gavin Zillyette is a three-time state qualifier that is poised for a strong senior season after finishing 22^nd at the 3A state meet last season in a time of 16:58.3.

Keep an eye on: Junior Peyton Stadler flashed signs of his potential last season as a sophomore and finished 25^th at the Class 3A state qualifying meet.

Ready for a breakthrough: Sophomore Noah Yost got his first taste of varsity cross country a season ago and is primed to make a big jump this season after placing 21^st at the 3A state qualifying meet in his debut season.

Breakdown: Clear Creek Amana had a string of four consecutive state meet appearances end last season with a fourth-place finish at the 3A state qualifying meet.

The Clippers lost a four-time state qualifier and two-time medalist in senior stalwart Brandon Barker but bring back a three-time qualifier in Zillyette to lead a group of five runners with varsity experience.

Yost and Stadler stood out at times as underclassmen last season and juniors Cameron Kimm and Jackson Schloss each competed at the varsity level last season as sophomore.

The Clippers should once again be in the hunt for a spot in Fort Dodge and open the season ranked No. 13 in Class 3A.

Solon

Coach: Emy Williams (20^th season)

Assistant coaches: Michelle Lyons, Brian Fitzpatrick, Emily Moser, Zanetta Hoehle

Last season: 2^nd at Class 3A state meet

Returning letterwinners: Ty Beckicka, Sr.; Nate Ferguson, Sr.; Gabe Hinman, Sr.; Ethan McLaughlin, Sr.; Nolan Pauley, Sr.; Nate Shafer, Jr.; Grant Bumstead, Soph.; Josiah Hale, Soph.; Brick Kabela, Soph.; Mike Yeomans, Soph.

Headliner: Senior Gabe Hinman is a three-time state qualifier that has jumped double digit spots in each of his appearances in Fort Dodge going from 46^th as a freshman to 35^th as a sophomore before placing 24^th overall at the 3A state meet last season.

Keep an eye on: Sophomore Brick Kabela burst onto the scene a year ago as a freshman placing 11^th at the WAMAC meet, 10^th at the state qualifier and 26^th at the 3A state meet.

Ready for a breakthrough: Sophomore Michael Yeomans ran stride for stride with his classmate Kabela last season turning in his own impressive debut year. Yeomans finished 14^th at the WAMAC meet, 12^th at the state qualifier and was 33^rd at the 3A state meet.

Breakdown: Coming off perhaps the most success season in program history expectations are at an all-time high in Solon as the Spartans bring back their top three state finishers from a squad that was runner-up to two-time defending champion Dallas Center-Grimes at the 3A state meet.

Hinman, Kabela and Yeomans all return for the Spartans who won WAMAC and state qualifying meet titles before placing second at the state meet.

Solon does lose a trio of seniors in Tyler Bilskie, Ben DeValk and Noelan Garbes from last season but also returns senior Nate Ferguson who ran at the state meet a year ago.

Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.