Your Prep Sports Area Boys Cross Country Runners to Watch This Season
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
Cross country is a sport for distance runners.
However, the cross country season in the state of Iowa can be a bit of a sprint.
The season officially starts on Monday with the first day of practices around the state and the 2024 state meet is less than three months away.
As the season gets underway every team and athlete is aiming for a spot at the 2024 state meet scheduled for November 1 and 2 at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge.
Before the state meet gets here there is the regular season which beings with the first meets on August 26.
Here is a look at some of the top runners in the Your Prep Sports area to keep an eye on this fall.
Keegan Decker
Sophomore, Liberty High
In his first varsity season Decker burst onto the prep scene with one of the best seasons for a freshman in the state.
Decker emerged as one of the best young runners in the state with an impressive debut season that was capped with a 17th finish at the Class 4A state meet.
The state meet time of 15:54.8 for Decker was the third fastest ever by a freshman at the state meet and his 17th place finish at state was the best for a freshman in 4A this season and the highest finish for a freshman at the 4A state meet since Ethan Eichhorn of Council Bluffs Lewis Central was 16th in 2020.
The stellar state-meet showing was just the final piece of a strong season for Decker who posted top-10 finishes at the Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet, MVC Mississippi Divisional and 4A state qualifier.
Decker was ninth at the MVC Super Meet, third at the Mississippi Divisional and placed fifth at the 4A state qualifying meet.
Noah Gregoire
Senior, Liberty High
While Decker was making a splash as a freshman last fall his veteran teammate Gregoire was putting together a breakthrough junior season.
Already a three-time state qualifier Gregoire has been a stalwart in the Lightning lineup since his freshman season and his strong junior campaign helped Liberty High to a sixth-place team finish at the 4A meet last fall.
Gregoire capped a strong season with a second consecutive top-40 finish at the state meet, placing 38th in a time of 16:15.7 which was 14 seconds faster than his previous best state-meet time.
In his third varsity season Gregoire improved his finish at the MVC Super Meet, MVC Divisional meet and state qualifier.
Gregoire was 14th at the MVC Super Meet, seventh at the MVC Mississippi Divisional and ninth at the 4A state qualifier.
Moustafa Tiea
Senior, West High
A three-time state qualifier Tiea has been climbing the standings at the 4A state meet since making his debut in Fort Dodge in 2021.
This season Tiea will look to add the final chapter to his career by continuing his ascent into the 4A top 15 to earn his first career state medal.
Tiea was 73rd in his first trip to state and jumped to 51st as a sophomore before finishing 47th at the 4A meet last season in a time of 16:24.1.
Coming off another stellar track season in the spring, look for Tiea to make a big jump this season.
Tiea showed his potential last season finishing fourth at the MVC Super Meet, seventh at the MVC Valley Divisional and sixth at the 4A state qualifying meet.
Evan Burg
Senior, Solon
Solon will be seeking a fifth consecutive trip to the state meet this fall and if the Spartans are to return to Fort Dodge their senior leader Burg will be need to be a key piece of the puzzle.
Burg is the most experienced Spartan after helping Solon reach the state meet each of the past two seasons.
After placing 94th at the state meet as a sophomore in 2022 Burg finished 70th at the 3A state meet last season in 17:13.4, a more than 40-second time drop from his state meet debut.
Burg was solid all season finishing 26th at the WAMAC Super Meet and 19th at the Class 3A state qualifier.
Expect an even better season from Burg this fall.
Brock Hilsman
Senior, Clear Creek Amana
Clear Creek Amana has been on the climb in Class 3A over the past several seasons and Hilsman has been a big reason for the upward movement.
Hilsman has posted back-to-back 30th place finishes at the 3A state meet, helping Clear Creek Amana climb from 14th in 2022 to ninth place in the 3A team standings last season.
It’s time for Hilsman to push toward the top-15 at the state meet in his final prep season and he has shown he has the ability to do just that.
Hilsman was ninth at the WAMAC Conference meet last season and was seventh at the Class 3A state qualifier.
His time of 16:44.7 at the state meet was more than 15 seconds faster than the time he ran in his state meet debut.
Samuel Welter
Senior, Regina
Regina has finished in the top 10 at the Class 1A state meet each of the last three seasons and Welter has been a big part of that string of success.
A three-time state qualify, Welter has improved his placing and dropped his time in each of his appearances at the state meet including last season when he finished 67th in a time of 17:54.8 to help the Regals place sixth as a team.
Prior to posting the best state-meet finish of his career Welter led Regina at both the River Valley Conference and Class 1A state qualifying meets.
Welter finished sixth at the RVC meet helping the Regals to a runner-up finish and was sixth at the state qualifying meet leading Regina to the team title.
Another strong season from Welter would go a long way in helping Regina collect yet another strong showing at the state meet.
Linus McRoberts
Junior, City High
With just one senior and four underclassmen in its lineup City High was among the youngest teams in the area last season.
McRoberts was one of several young Little Hawks that gained valuable experience while showing vast potential last fall.
McRoberts post top-25 finishes at both Mississippi Valley Conference races during an impressive sophomore season that concluded with a 34th finish at the Class 4A state qualifying meet.
The number two runner for City High for much of the season McRoberts finished 21st at the Mississippi Valley Conference Supper meet and added a 10th place finish at the Valley Division in a time of 16:14.08.
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