By Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Class 2A Boys

Time: 1:30 p.m.

Team qualifiers: *Garner-Hayfield-Ventura, South Hamilton, South Hardin, *Mid-Prairie, Des Moines Christian, Williamsburg, *Tipton, Monticello, East Marshall, *Sheldon, Okoboji, Aplington-Parkersburg, *George-Little Rock/Central Lyon, Sioux Center, Unity Christian.

Individual district champions: Reece Smith, Jr., Garner-Hayfield-Ventura; Floyd Evans, Sr., Mid-Prairie; Ben Ellis, Jr., Tipton; Spencer Moon, Jr., South Central Calhoun; Gable Sieperda, Sr., George-Little Rock/Central Lyon

2016 Team Top-Five: 1. Mid-Prairie 98; 2. Unity Christian 115; 3. Western Christian 130; 4. George-Little Rock/Central Lyon 148; 5. Garner-Hayfield-Ventura 163.

Last 5 Team Champions: 2016 – Mid-Prairie; 2015 – Garner-Hayfield-Ventura; 2014 – East Marshall; 2013 – Monticello; 2012 – Monticello.

Returning state placers: 2. Reece Smith, Jr., Garner-Hayfield-Ventura; 3. Gable Sieperda, Sr., George-Little Rock/Central Lyon; 4. Spencer Moon, Jr., South Central Calhoun; 5. Mason Tyler, Sr., Aplington-Parkersburg; 6. Joe Anderson, Jr., George-Little Rock/Central Lyon; 9. Joseph Schoonhoven, Jr., Unity Christian.

Area Individual qualifiers: Nathan Meyer, Sr., Regina; Anthony Knepper, Fr., Regina.

Top ranked teams: 1. Mid-Prairie; 2. George-Little Rock/Central Lyon; 3. Garner-Hayfield-Ventura; 4. Tipton; 5. South Hamilton.

Top ranked individuals: 1. Gable Sieperda, Sr., George-Little Rock/Central Lyon; 2. Reece Smith, Jr., Garner-Hayfield-Ventura; 3. Spencer Moon, Jr., South Central Calhoun; 4. Floyd Evans, Sr., Mid-Prairie; 5. Ben Ellis, Soph., Tipton. 

Ranked Area individuals: 15. Nathan Meyer, Sr., Regina

Breakdown: The River Valley Conference has dominated Class 2A in recent history with current RVC schools winning five of the last seven titles.

The task of continuing that conference domination will fall to defending champion Mid-Prairie and Tipton as both teams enter ranked in the top five.

With four runners ranked in the top 30 Mid-Prairie has the top-end firepower and depth to repeat. The Golden Hawks will have to fend off George-Little Rock/Central Lyon and senior standout Gable Sieperda and Garner-Hayfield-Ventura and defending individual runner-up Reece Smith.

Regina senior Nathan Meyer is making his third consecutive state meet appearances and will push for a medal in his final trip to state.

Meyer was 34th in 1A as a sophomore and finished 26th  in Class 2A last season.

Class 2A Girls

Time: 1 p.m.

Team qualifiers: *Crestwood, Cascade, Waukon, *Mid-Prairie, Williamsburg, PCM, *Monticello, Regina, Danville, *Shenandoah, Okoboji, Aplington-Parkersburg, *Woodbury Central/Kingsley-Pierson, Unity Christian, Emmetsburg

Individual district champions: Ellie Friesen, Sr., Crestwood; Anna Hostetler, Sr., Mid-Prairie; Paige Holub, Sr., Monticello; Sophie Jungling, Soph., Aplington-Parkersburg; Karley Larson, Sr., Underwood

2016 Team Top-Five: 1. Monticello 93; 2. South Winneshiek 131; 3. Mid-Prairie 133; 4. Springville-Central City 145; 5. CMB 170.

Last 5 Team Champions: 2016 – Monticello; 2015 – Cascade; 2014 – Monticello; 2013 – Gilbert; 2012 – Unity Christian.

Returning state placers: 1. Anna Hostetler, Sr., Mid-Prairie; 2. Marie Hostetler, Fr., Mid-Prairie; 3. Karley Larson, Sr., Underwood; 4. Paige Holub, Jr., Monticello; 5. Sophie Jungling, Soph., Aplington-Parkersburg; 8. Ellie Friesen, Sr., Crestwood; (Class 3A); 8. Jordyn Patterson, Sr., Monticello; 13. Jill Vonnahme, Sr., Pocahontas Area; 14. Suzanne Putze, Sr., Woodbury Central-Kingsley Pierson.

Top ranked teams: 1. Mid-Prairie; 2. Monticello; 3. Woodbury Central/Kingsley-Pierson; 4. Crestwood; 5. Cascade.

Ranked are teams: 6. Regina

Top ranked individuals: 1. Marie Hostetler, Soph., Mid-Prairie; 2. Ellie Friesen, Sr., Crestwood; 3. Karley Larson, Sr., Underwood; 4. Sophia Jungling, Soph., Aplington-Parkersburg; 5. Anna Hostetler, Sr., Mid-Prairie.

Breakdown: With four teams ranked in the top six entering the state meet the River Valley Conference is a heavy favorite to win its fourth consecutive state title.

Led by Anna and Marie Hostetler who finished first and second last season Mid-Prairie enters top-ranked while Monticello, Cascade and Regina are all in the top six.

If the Hostetler sisters and 11th ranked freshman Ana Fleming can led Mid-Prairie to the 2A title the Golden Hawks would be the third different RVC team to win a 2A title in the past three seasons.

Woodbury Central/Kingsley-Pierson and Crestwood appear to be the top non-RVC challengers.

Regina has surged late in the season going from unranked to sixth in less than a month.

The Regals don’t have a ranked runner but have a tight pack led by sophomore Kennedy Scott who was an individual qualifier last season and junior Molly Vittetoe.

Senior Nourah Abusade and first-year senior Lauren Gaarde give the Regals depth.

*-State Qualifying Meet Champion