Keeney Seeking Strong Finish To Stellar Career in Senior Season
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
IOWA CITY – Ashlyn Keeney already owns an impressive career cross country resume that includes three trips to the state meet, a pair of state medals and a Class 4A runner-up finish.
Something is missing for the Liberty High senior standout.
An individual state title seems like the obvious omission but those closest to Keeney know there is something else the senior wants to cement her legacy.
A return trip to the state meet with her teammates.
“Ashlyn has always cared more about the team than her individual success,” Liberty High coach Tonya McDonough said. “If you know Ashlyn you know how badly she wants her team and her teammates to succeed so (qualifying for state) is definitely a goal.”
The Keeney-led Lightning took the first step in the journey to a potential state tournament trip on Thursday with a fourth-place finish at the Bob Brown Cross Country Classic at Kickers Soccer Park in Iowa City.
Keeney finished runner-up in a time of 19:45.57 as Class 4A No. 16 Liberty High finished with 98 points.
3A No. 5 Solon won the team title with 54 followed by 3A No. 15 Western Dubuque with 75 points and 2A fourth-ranked Tipton with 98.
“Making it to state, that is still a big goal of ours and something I would really like to see happen,” Keeney said. “We have a lot of good girls and everyone is willing to work hard. There are a lot of new girls this year and I think over the course of the season they are going to improve a lot and we could be really good.”
Keeney finished behind Calamus-Wheatland freshman Noelle Steines who won the individual title in a time of 19:20.31.
Keeney was more than 37 seconds faster than third-place Camryn Sattler of Clinton.
“Today was really nice and I felt really good but for some reason I just couldn’t make my legs move any faster than that,” Keeney said. “I’m ok with how I ran I guess. I was hoping to do quite a bit better but I ran as faster as I was able to go.”
Early individual success that included a 4A runner-up finish as a sophomore and an exceptional work ethic always made Keeney a leader within the Liberty High program.
This season, as an experienced senior on a roster filled with young and inexperienced runners Keeney has become even more of a stabilizing figure within the program.
“As a senior this year she has that spotlight and she has that opportunity to be an amazing leader,” McDonough said. “Not only leading by example day in and day out at practice but being the one that is constantly cheering for her teammates.”
The larger leadership role has been a boost for Keeney who finds herself offer advice to younger teammates.
“It’s really cool,” Keeney said. “On the way here a bunch of them were asking me questions about the race and how hard do I go out and stuff like that just being able to give them tips helps me realize its just one race, it’s not about me it’s about everyone.”
Sophomore Cori Mac placed fifth overall for Liberty High on Thursday in a time of 20:34.86 while junior Hannah Ramsey was 26th in a time of 22:13.86.
Junior Malia Taylor was 31st in 22:31.47 and Grace Ceynar was 37th in 23:00.61.
“I think we surprised ourselves a little bit,” McDonough said. “We saw some great things and one thing we said is we have a lot to learn about our team and ourselves right now so I think we take everything that happened today and get back to work tomorrow and I think we are going to surprise some people down the road.”
Clear Creek Amana junior Haidyn Barker was 12th in a time of 21:07.66 to pace the Clippers which finished seventh with 169 points.
Regina placed ninth with 209 points and was led by junior Mya Whitaker who finished 28th in 22:17.02.
Bob Brown Cross Country Classic
At Kicker Soccer Complex
Team scores – 1. Solon 54; 2. Western Dubuque 75; 3. Tipton 98; 4. Liberty High 98; 5. Monticello 117; 6. Marion 131; 7. Clear Creek Amana 169; 8. Clinton 200; 9. Regina 209; 10. Wilton 315; 11. Anamosa 346
Individual leaders – 1. Noelle Steines (Calamus-Wheatland) 19:20.31; 2. Ashlyn Keeney (ICL) 19:45.57; 3. Camryn Sattler (CLI) 20:22.69; 4. Alyssa Klein (WD) 20:24.98; 5. Cori Mac (ICL) 20:34.86; 6. Emma Bock (SOL) 20:53.36; 7. Peyton Steffen (MAR) 20:54.64; 8. Kayla Young (SOL) 20:56.42; 9. Madison Prier (MAR) 21:03.38; 10. Alivia Edens (TIP) 21:03.94; 11. Lilly Boge (WD) 21:07.55; 12. Haidyn Barker (CCA) 21:07.66; 13. Audrey Biermann (WD) 21:15.27; 14. Lydia Hogan (SOL) 21:16.36; 15. Gracie Federspiel (SOL) 21:22.22
Solon – 5. Emma Bock 20:53.36; 7. Kayla Young 20:56.42; 13. Lydia Hogan 21:16.36; 14. Gracie Federspiel 21:22.22; 15. Anna Quillin 21:27.8; 21. Kaia Holtkamp 21:52; 31. Mary Fiala 22:31.47
Liberty High – 1. Ashlyn Keeney 19:45.57; 4. Cori Mac 20:34.86; 26. Hannah Ramsey 22:13.86; 30. Malia Taylor 22:27.92; 37. Grace Ceynar 23:00.61; 48. Madelyn Johnson 23:34.42; 52. Brie Klein 24:08.31
Clear Creek Amana – 11. Haidyn Barker 21:07.66; 20. Kira Barker 21:49.88; 35. Sara Kinzenbaw 22:54.75; 46. Allie Kounkel 23:27.26; 57. Avery Allan 24:41.65; 63. Olivia Stopko 25:26.35; 64. Raegan Wyant 25:37.74
Regina – 28. Mya Whitaker 22:17.02; 34. Natalie Franklin 22:49.94; 43. Gwyneth Charlton 23:15.61; 49. Cate Klitgaard 23:39.79; 55. Josie Pursley 24:26.38; 56. Keira Sickels 24:33.92; 58. Alex Spies 24:44.57
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