Clear Creek Amana Secures Spot at State With Runner-up Finish at State Qualifier
Your Prep Sports
When Clear Creek Amana qualified for the state cross country meet in 2023 it was just short of two decades since the Clippers had last reached the state meet as a team.
After missing out on the state meet each of the past two seasons the Clippers weren’t about to let there be another long drought between trips to Fort Dodge.
Clear Creek Amana finished runner-up at the Class 3A state qualifying meet at the Washington Golf and Country Club on Wednesday to secure its first trip to state since 2023.
“It means a lot to the culture of the team, especially since there’s been a couple years since we’ve gone,” Clear Creek Amana sophomore Ali Seidl said. “We really just want to establish a good culture, especially for the next couple years and make this program a big thing here.”
Clear Creek Amana faced a strong field and a challenging course in its quest to snap a two-year string without a state meet appearance.
The Clippers overcame both in impressive fashion on Wednesday.
Seidl finished third to headline a group of three Clippers that finished in the top 10 as seventh-ranked Clear Creek Amana finished with 60 points, 18 back of third-ranked Williamsburg which won the team title.
No. 13 Newton was third with 65 points.
“Our girls team has overperformed, and we got some girls that are hurt but that adds incredible depth,” Clear Creek Amana coach Ben Robison said. “So we’re set up for long-term success there.”
Seidl finished third in a time of 19:15.2, behind only Harper Winegarden of Williamsburg who won the individual title in 18:21.2 and Alexis Sorensen of Newton who was second in 19:11.
A wrong turn cost Seidl a few seconds and a possible runner-up finish but the sophomore was pleased with the overall outcome on a challenging course.
“I felt pretty confident all season about where I’ve been,” Seidl said. “I had a pretty great race plan. I just kind of wanted to tie off of Winegarden because she’s a great runner. I obviously respect her a ton, but I ended up taking a wrong turn near the end of the race, and I lost a lot of position. I went out like 100 meters, so I think that just handling that adversity the best I could in that situation and I lost a place but I think that I handled it the best that I could.”
Freshman Keira Cooney finished fourth in a time of 19:23.8 while Keira Rosenberg was 10th in 20:11.8 on a hilly course at the Washington Golf and Country Club that proved to be a challenge for runners.
“I thought it was very challenging and very hilly,” Cooney said. “I think we handled it the best we could.”
Holley Schulte added a 21st place finish for Clear Creek Amana in a time of 21:25.6 and Myka Slaymaker was 24th in 21:29.4.
“This might be the second most challenging high school course I’ve ever seen and I think their eyes were a little big when we popped off the bus but I think the handled it really well,” Robison said. “I think they managed the course really well as far as attacking the hills may needed to and conserving when they needed to.”
Class 3A State Qualifying Meet
At Washington Golf and Country Club
Team scores – 1. Williamsburg 42; 2. Clear Creek Amana 60; 3. Newton 65; 4. Cedar Rapids Xavier 150; 5. Fairfield 169; 6. Washington 171; 7. Davenport Assumption 173; 8. Oskaloosa 208; 9. Fort Madison 235; 10. Knoxville 251; 11. Mount Pleasant 252
Individual leaders – 1. Harper Winegarden (WIL) 18:21.2; 2. Alexis Sorensen (NEW) 19:11.7; 3. Ali Seidl (CCA) 19:15.2; 4. Keira Cooney (CCA) 19:23.8; 5. Maddie Gorsh (WIL) 19:27.4; 6. Channing Becker (WIL) 19:50.1; 7. Raleigh Barton (CRX) 19:57.6; 8. Quintrie Lee (MP) 20:05.4; 9. Audrey Muckler (NEW) 20:10.9; 10. Keira Rosenberg (CCA) 20:11.8; 11. Emma Horak (WAS) 20:12.5; 12. Kate Lamont (NEW) 20:14.2; 13. Addison Guerra (WL) 20:14.9; 14. Piper Lauterbach (NEW) 20:24.9; 15. Aubree Messer (WIL) 20:35.4
Clear Creek Amana – 3. Ali Seidl 19:15.2; 4. Keira Cooney 19:23.8; 10. Keira Rosenberg 20:11.8; 21. Holley Schulte 21:25.6; 24. Myka Slaymaker 21:29.4; 25. Kadence Whitmer 21:30.6; 26. Maya McElliott 21:34.5
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