Runner-up Finish From Decker Helps Liberty High to Third-Place Team Finish at 4A State Cross Country Meet
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
FORT DODGE – Keegan Decker was a part of Iowa state cross country history.
Twice.
A three-time top-three finisher at the Class 4A state meet Decker was a part of the two fastest races in state cross country history over the past two seasons.
Decker helped elevate the level of cross country in the entire state.
Along the way Decker helped raise the Liberty High program to a new level.
That culminated on Saturday as Decker posted a career-best runner-up finish to help Liberty High to the best team finish in program history at the Class 4A state meet at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge.
Behind a runner-up finish from Decker in a career-best time Liberty High finished third in the 4A team standings with 94 points.
West Des Moines Dowling won the 4A team title with 70 followed by Cedar Falls with 93.
Liberty High was 57 points in front of fourth-place Ankeny Centennial.
“It’s amazing, we’ve built a fantastic team and I’m most proud of just the culture in general,” Decker said. “We didn’t come away with (a championship) today but I am just so proud of our team, we’ve come a long way since freshman year.”
Decker capped an incredible career with his best performance on Saturday.
After finishing third each of the last two seasons Decker finished runner-up in a time of 14:53.1 on Saturday, the third fastest state meet time in state history.
Last year’s runner up Preston Johnson of Marshalltown won the title in a 4A-meet record time of 14:40.2, the second fastest time in state meet history.
Jack Crossland of Johnston was third in 14:55.5.
“It was a very fast race thanks to Preston mostly for leading that, I am thrilled to be part of it,” Decker said. “I think it’s without a doubt in the history of 4A history right ahead of last year. I am just truly honored to be a part of both of those races. Preston as a great competitor and as much as I would have loved to come away with it today he is a great competitor and an even better person.”
Last season Decker was part of a historic 4A race that had four runners crack the 15-minute mark.
Led by Johnston, Decker and Crossland Saturday’s race was even faster.
Johnson separated himself from the lead pack over the final mile to win his first title while Decker cut nearly six seconds of his then-career best time of 14:59 from last season.
“It’s a blessing and a curse at the same time,” Decker said. “It’s great to be right in the front group of that it’s just a little bothering that I’ve been right there every year and I haven’t come away with one. That’s kind of just fueling the fire and I’m going to see what I can on the track.”
The runner-up finish from Decker highlighted a historic day for the Liberty High program.
Liberty High had three runners finish in the top-15 as senior Tayson Cho was eighth in 15:26.6 and sophomore Maxwell Kinzer finished 14th in a time of 15:39.5.
Senior Lars Hildebrand, a four-time state qualifier, was 28th in 16:08.3 and sophomore Hans Hildebrand finished 77th in 16:37.7.
“I’m so proud of what we were able to accomplish,” Decker said. “We’ve consistently been a qualifying team and finished in the middle two years and it was fantastic to take that step up to the top this year and there isn’t a group of guys I’d rather do it with.”
City High finished 15th in the Class 4A team standings with 338 points.
Junior Andrew Hamilton finished 25th to lead the Little Hawks in a time of 16:05.9 while Jasper McRoberts was 94th in 16:49.1.
Leif Eastlund placed 99th in 16:52.2 and Sam Elliott was 104th in 16:56.9.
West High junior Jake Weiler placed 21st in a time of 15:56.3 and senior Lars Pressler finished 115th in 17:26.5.
Class 4A State Meet
At Lakeside Golf Course
Team scores – 1. West Des Moines Dowling 70; 2. Cedar Falls 93; 3. Liberty High 94; 4. Ankeny Centennial 151; 5. Waukee 152; 6. Dallas Center-Grimes 158; 7. Cedar Rapids Prairie 195; 8. Pleasant Valley 241; 9. Davenport Central 242; 10. Waukee Northwest 257; 11. Johnston 260; 12. West Des Moines Valley 275; 13. Dubuque Hempstead 283; 14. Norwalk 338; 15. City High 338
Individual medalists – 1. Preston Johnson (Marshalltown) 14:40.2; 2. Keegan Decker (Liberty High) 14:53.1; 3. Jack Crossland (Johnston) 14:55.5; 4. Kuma Gutema (Sioux City North) 15:03.4; 5. Andrew Heden (Bettendorf) 15:07; 6. Dominic Williams (Cedar Falls) 15:21.8; 7. Cole Carrizales (Cedar Rapids Prairie) 15:22.2; 8. Tayson Cho (Liberty High) 15:26.6; 9. Jax Alvarez (Ankeny Centennial) 15:26.8; 10. Charlie Deick (West Des Moines Dowling) 15:32.3; 11. Jonah Whitson (Pleasant Valley) 15:36.5; 12. Zack Ryan (Davenport Central) 15:37.8; 13. Owen Anderson (Dubuque Senior) 15:39; 14. Maxwell Kinzer (Liberty High) 15:39.5; 15. Graham Ibeling (Dallas Center-Grimes) 15:40.3
Liberty High (94) – 2. Keegan Decker 14:53.1; 8. Tayson Cho 15:26.6; 14. Maxwell Kinzer 15:39.5; 28. Lars Hildebrand 16:08.3; 77. Hans Hildebrand 16:37.7; 78. Jens Strand 16:37.8; 120. Colin Finch 17:36.6
City High (338) – 25. Andrew Hamilton 16:05.9; 94. Jasper McRoberts 16:49.1; 99. Leif Eastlund 16:52.2; 104. Sam Elliott 16:56.9; 114. Soren Miller 17:24.2; 125. Clayton Terrill 17:50.3
West High – 21. Jake Weiler 15:56.3; 115. Lars Pressler 17:26.5
Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.
