Barker Leads Clear Creek Amana Back to State Cross Country Meet for First Time Since 2003
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
MANCHESTER – Even as a three-time state qualifier something was missing for Clear Creek Amana senior Haidyn Barker.
Barker earned a fourth consecutive trip to the state cross country meet on Wednesday and in doing so filled the biggest void in what has been a stellar prep career for the Clear Creek Amana senior.
A runner-up finish from Barker headlined three top-15 finishes for the Clippers as Clear Creek Amana qualified for the state meet for the first time in nearly two decades with a runner-up finish at the Class 3A state qualifier at Hart Ridge Golf Course in Manchester.
“This is all I have ever wanted,” Barker said. “All I wanted was to run with my team at state. I am so happy.”
An individual qualifier each of the past three seasons Barker finished a career-best 20th at the Class 3A state meet last season.
In her final appearance at the 3A state meet at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge next week Barker will have the company of her full team.
Sophomores Sara Kinzenbaw and Kira Barker finished 10th and 14th respective as Clear Creek Amana reached the state meet for the first time since 2003.
“I feel like we’ve all been in a good spot throughout the season and we all wanted to run how we have been all year,” Kinzenbaw said. “Today was a great day for us to all push through and finish strong.”
Just as she has for the past three seasons Haidyn Barker led the way on Wednesday.
Barker finished behind only individual champion Kayla Young of Solon clocking a runner-up time of 19:08.81.
“It was very, very cold,” Barker said. “I just knew I had to finish it off for my team.”
Last season Clear Creek Amana missed a spot at state by 16 points, finishing fourth at the state qualifier.
On Wednesday there was no near miss for the Clippers.
All five Clear Creek Amana point scorers finished in the top 30 as No. 10 Clear Creek Amana finished with 76 points behind only fifth-ranked Solon which won the team title with 40 points.
“Phenomenal, phenomenal,” Clear Creek Amana coach Ben Robison said. “Last year they deserved to get in and it didn’t work because of the draw and this year they deserved to get in and they ran the race they needed to get in and it was awesome.”
Kinzenbaw used a strong finish over the final 400 meters to join Haidyn Barker in the top 10.
The sophomore was 10th in a time of 20:10.92.
“My goal coming in was to finish top-10,” Kinzenbaw said. “I knew I was right around that point so I wanted to get in front of as many girls as I could at the end and finish strong.”
Kira Barker, another returning state qualifier, finished 14th in a time of 29:19.36 while sophomore Harper Tecklenburg was 24th in 21:02.29.
“He had one runner that didn’t have a great race but Sara stepped up huge and Harper Tecklenburg had the race of her life tonight,” Robison said. “Without those two we aren’t in the spot we are in.”
Junior Kiera Rogers finished 28th in 21:08.9.
“It’s a lot of fun to see the girls step up,” Barker said. “I am so happy for them.”
Class 3A State Qualifier
At Hart Ridge Golf Course
Team scores – 1. Solon 40; 2. Clear Creek Amana 76; 3. Clear Lake 83; 4. Dubuque Wahlert 107; 5. Decorah 126; 6. Marion 162; 7. Cedar Rapids Xavier 164; 8. Waverly-Shell Rock 165; 9. Charles City 260; 10. West Delaware 277; 11. Vinton-Shellsburg 322
Individual Leaders – 1. Kayla Young (SOL) 18:32.59; 2. Haidyn Barker (CCA) 19:08.81; 3. Addison Doughan (CL) 19:09.88; 4. Emma Arnold (CRX) 19:42.73; 5. Lucy Murphy (DW) 19:52.75; 6. Lydia Maas (HDC) 19:54.73; 7. Sydney Dee (SOL) 20:00.94; 8. Gracie Federspiel (SOL) 20:06.56; 9. Lilah Takes (DW) 20:10.18; 10. Sara Kinzenbaw (CCA) 20:10.92; 11. Lilian Graham (DW) 20:11.01; 12. Mary Fiala (SOL) 20:11.03; 13. Emily McLaughlin (CL) 20:12.06; 14. Kira Barker (CCA) 20:19.36; 15. Sydney Bochmann (W-SR) 20:21.1
Solon (40) – 1. Kayla Young 18:32.59; 7. Sydney Dee 20:00.94; 8. Gracie Federspiel 20:06.56; 12. Mary Fiala 20:11.03; 16. Ashlyn Williams 20:32.69; 20. Mara Duster 20:51.48; 44. Ella Sheeley 21:39.81
Clear Creek Amana (76) – 2. Haidyn Barker 19:08.81; 10. Sara Kinzenbaw 20:10.92; 14. Kira Barker 20:19.36; 25. Harper Tecklenburg 21:02.29; 29. Kiera Rogers 21:08.9; 40. Raegan Wyant 21:30.78; 52. Eva Leighton-Dick 22:03.92
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