Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Half of the field for the state cross country meet is set.

Classes 4A and 3A held state qualifying meets on Wednesday with teams and individuals securing spots at the state meet next week in Fort Dodge.

On Thursday Classes 2A and 1A state center stage.

Before races get underway on Thursday here is a look at the state qualifying meets featuring teams from the Your Prep Sports area.

Class 1A Meet (Regina)

When: Thursday, 4:40 p.m.

Where: Kickers Soccer Complex in Iowa City

Teams: Regina; Dyersville Beckman; Bellevue; Calamus-Wheatland; Danville; Durant; Easton Valley; English Valleys; Fort Madison Holy Trinity; Louisa-Muscatine; Lone Tree; Bellevue Marquette; Midland; New London; North Cedar; Prince of Peace; Rivermont Collegiate; Van Buren; Wapello

Ranked teams: No. 4 Danville; No. 10 Van Buren

Ranked individuals: No. 2 Gage Heyne, Sr., English Valleys; No. 4 Jackson Shacklett, Sr., Danville; No. 19 Lincoln Bainbridge, Jr., Van Buren;

Team title chase: This sets up as a Danville and Van Buren battle for the top two spots with Danville as the favorite to clinch the team title.

Individual race: English Valleys senior Gage Heyne is a returning state medalist that is expected to be in the title hunt at the state meet next week and enters Thursday as the favorite to claim the individual crown. Heyne was ninth at the state meet last season and will be pushed by Danville senior Jackson Schacklett who was 20^th at state last week and could also be in the mix at state next week.

Athlete to watch: Regina senior Lincoln Dardis would like to close his final prep season at the state meet in Fort Dodge which will require a strong performance at home on Thursday.

Dardis has been surging down the stretch finishing 38^th in a strong field at the River Valley Conference last week and will look to join junior Brendan Olney at the front of the Regal pack on Thursday.

Breakdown: Regina is seeking a fourth consecutive trip to the state meet but will need a strong effort at home to overcome Van Buren and Danville for a top two finish.

Look for Olney and Dardis to lead the way for the Regals along with junior Evan White.

Regina is an easy team to overlook in the team race after running a tough schedule but has the advantage of running on a home course it knows well and has a history of peaking at the right time.

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