Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

TIFFIN – With five members from last year’s state qualifying squad gone to graduation it was no surprise that Clear Creek Amana did some adjusting of expectations before this season.

No surprise was what that change in expectations included.

Despite returning only two varsity regulars expectations were raised not tempered for the Clippers this season.

A year after making the second state meet appearance in program history a return trip to state wasn’t good enough.

This year’s Clear Creek Amana squad wanted more.

“Coming into the season coach (Ben) Robison said we had to have a top-10 mentality,” Clear Creek Amana junior Kaden McAreavy said. “Not just making it to state, but a top-10 mentality.”

The Clippers are on the verge of turning that mentality into a reality.

Clear Creek Amana qualified for the state meet in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history with a runner-up finish at last week’s state qualifier.

The Clippers enter Saturday’s Class 3A state meet ranked eighth and with their sights set on improving on a 14th place finish from last season.

“Last year we were just focused on making it to state because we didn’t want to have the same thing happen as the year before when we barely missed out and at state we weren’t as mentally focused as we are this year,” Clear Creek Amana junior Cole Liebe said. “This year getting to state wasn’t our ultimate goal, we want to go and run well.”

Last season was a breakthrough for the Robison-led Clippers.

After missing a trip to state by a single point in 2015 Clear Creek Amana secured its second state meet appearance in program history and first since 2013.

Even with a revamped lineup that features five underclassmen and no seniors Robison challenged his team to aim higher than a return trip to state.

It didn’t take long for the third-year head coach to see the potential.

“Preseason I was nervous about how the pieces were going to fit together but after we got through those first couple of meets it really started to unfold,” Robison explained. “I had a feeling after we ran at Tipton and Oskaloosa that we were a top-10 contender and the expectations change and the training changes a little bit and I think we are in a pretty good spot right now.”

The Clipper lineup got a boost with the addition of standout freshman Brandon Barker and McAreavy who joined the program after playing football last season.

The two varsity returners, Liebe and sophomore Nick O’Connor have led the team this season along with Barker who enters this first state meet ranked 24th in Class 3A.

First-year varsity runners Jack Sexton, and Brandon McCarty have made huge improvements from last season and freshman Caleb Alcorn has enjoyed a solid varsity debut season.  

“I think we have all elevated our running down the stretch,” Sexton said. “That’s what you have to do to be successful and I think we’ve all done that.”

Liebe recognized quickly this year’s team could be improved.

That notion showed up at the state qualifier when Sexton placed ninth, second to Barker among Clear Creek Amana runners.

“I was a little iffy because I didn’t know if guys would step up like they did,” Liebe said. “I knew we had Barker coming in and Kaden was joining so that would help but I didn’t know and when Jack was up competing with me and beating me it sort of sparked that thought of we could be really good this year.”

Clear Creek Amana will need another strong performance from its newcomers to best last year’s 14th place finish a year ago.

O’Connor was 46th at state last season while Liebe was 50th as Clear Creek Amana finished with 282 points in front of only 15th place Sioux City Heelan with 286.

“I firmly believe that cross country is just about racing and placing and beating guys,” Robison said. “Course to course it varies so much so we really focus on who are we going to go beat and who are we going to race with and they do that very well.”