City High

Coach: Jayme Skay (27^th season)

Assistant coaches: Ross Salinas; Evan Risk; Ryan Clevenger

Last season: 5^th at Class 4A state qualifying meet

Returning starters: George Karr, Sr.

Returning letterwinners: Adam Schaefer, Sr.; Linus McRoberts, Jr.; Max McDowell, Jr.; Jarris Prottsman, Jr.; David Randall, Soph.; Will Carey, Soph.

Newcomers to watch: Mustafa Noreldaim, Sr.; Ephram Blyer, Sr.; Will Karr, Jr.; Emmett Palmberg, Soph.

Headliner: Junior Linus McRoberts should take major strides forward this season after an impressive varsity debut season that included top-25 finishes at both the MVC Super Meet and Valley Divisional at a 34^th place finish at the 4A state qualifier.

Keep an eye on: Senior George Karr is a two-year varsity letter winner that is coming off the best season of his career. Karr finished strong last season placing 24^th at the 4A state qualifier after posting a 37^th place finish at the MVC Super Meet and a 16^th place finish at the Valley Divisional.

Ready for a breakthrough: Junior Max McDowell was pushing towards the front of the City High pack last season as a sophomore and should take a big step forward this fall after posting top-35 finishes at each of the final three meets last year.

Circle the date: September 7 at Spartan Challenge at Crow Creek Park. A young, yet more experienced, City High squad gets an excellent early-season test against an always strong field at the Pleasant Valley home meet.

Breakdown: City High must replace its senior leader from last season in state qualifier Owyn Noble but returns the rest of its varsity squad intact.

After missing a spot at state with a fifth-place finish at the state qualifier a year ago the Little Hawks are a team capable of making a major jump this fall.

McRoberts, McDowell and Karr all return to lead the way after strong seasons a year ago.

City High will have depth and competition within its top seven this season as Senior Adam Schaefer, junior Jarris Prottsman and sophomores Will Carey and David Randall all return with varsity experience.

Schaefer finished 43^rd at the MVC Super Meet and was 33^rd at the 4A state qualifier a year ago while Prottsman was 31^st at the state qualifying meet.

Watch for Randall as another potential breakthrough candidate after he was 41^st at the MVC Super Meet, 15^th at the Valley Divisional and 39^th at the 4A state qualifier as a freshman last fall.

Liberty High

Coach: Josh Hildebrand (8^th season)

Assistant coaches: Nate Canton; Dylan Schmidt

Last season: 6^th at Class 4A State Meet

Returning letterwinners: Noah Gregoire, Sr.; Jacob Madsen, Jr.; Julius Vidal, Soph., Hayden Johnsen, Sr.; Keegan Decker, Soph., Colin Finch, Soph.; Lars Hildebrand, Soph.; Tayson Cho, Soph.,

Newcomers to watch: Jens Strand, Fr.

Headliner: Sophomore Keegan Decker emerged as one of the top young runners in the state last season posting top-10 finishes at the Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet, Mississippi Divisional and 4A state qualifier before clocking the third fastest time ever by a freshman at the state meet (15:54.8) while finishing 17^th in Class 4A.

Keep an eye on: Senior Noah Gregoire is already a three-time state qualifier and is coming off a breakthrough junior season in which he finished in the top-15 at the MVC Super Meet, Mississippi Divisional and state qualifier and was 38^th at the 4A state meet in 16:15.7.

Ready for a breakthrough: Senior Jacob Madsen should be in for a stellar final season after closing strong as a junior. Madsen was the fourth finisher for Liberty High at the 4A state meet last season placing 52^nd overall in a time of 16:29.8.

Circle the date: November 1 at Class 4A state meet. Yes, Liberty High has to qualify for the state meet first and nothing can be taken for granted. However, this is a Liberty High team that has aspirations of a top-five finish this season so the focus is certainly on running in Fort Dodge in November.

Breakdown: Liberty High matched the best state meet finish in program history last season placing sixth at the Class 4A meet.

With five of the seven state meet competitors returning the Lightning have their sites set on a new program best finish this fall.

Gregoire, Decker and Madsen will lead the way for the Lightning after earning experience the past several seasons.

Senior Hayden Johnson and sophomore Lars Hildebrand each return with varsity experience after competing at the state meet last season.

Depth should be a strength for the Lightning with eight runners returning that were in the top 12 of the team last season.

Clear Creek Amana

Coach: Ben Robison (10^th season)

Assistant coaches: Nick Boeset; Mark Eberly, Laurel Keenan

Last season: 9^th at Class 3A State Meet

Returning starters: Brock Hilsman, Sr.; Isaac Sorensen, Sr.; Nick Schieltz, Jr.; Jackson VanHorn, Jr.

Newcomers to watch: Micah Johnson, Fr.; Carson Meskimen, Fr.

Headliner: Senior Brock Hilsman is a two-time state qualifier and lowered his state-meet time by more than 15 seconds last season while posting a second consecutive 30^th place finish at the Class 3A state meet.

Keep an eye on: Senior Isaac Sorensen teams with Hilsman to give the Clippers an excellent one-two punch at the front of its pack. Sorensen is a two-time state qualifier, was 14^th at the WAMAC Conference meet last season and finished 65^th at the 3A state meet.

Ready for a breakthrough: Junior Nick Schieltz got varsity experience last season and is poised to make a big jump forward this season after placing 18^th at the WAMAC Conference meet before finishing 98^th in his debut appearance at the 3A state meet.

Circle the date: October 17 at WAMAC Championships in Marion. Clear Creek Amana should once again be in the trophy conversation at the annual WAMAC meet after finishing third last season 13 points back of team champ Solon.

Breakdown: Clear Creek Amana jumped from 14^th at the 3A state meet in 2022 to ninth last season and will look to return to Fort Dodge and continue to climb the 3A standings this fall.

The Clippers should have the firepower to make another jump this season.

Hilsman and Sorensen give the Clippers a strong and experienced duo leading the way while Schieltz and junior Jackson Van Horn each return with postseason experience.

The key for the Clippers will be the development of the final three varsity runners this season but veteran head coach Ben Robison likes the depth within the program that will be bolstered by a solid freshman class.

Solon

Coach: Emy Williams (23^rd season)

Assistant coaches: Michelle Lyons; Brian Fitzpatrick; Emily Moser; Chase Moser; Katie Courtney

Last season: 7^th at Class 3A State Meet

Returning starters: Evan Burg, Sr.; Camden Lyons, Jr.; Spencer Michels, Jr.; Rene Meza, Jr.

Headliner: Senior Evan Burg is a two-time state qualifier and the most experienced runner on what will be a relatively young Solon squad and is coming off a junior season in which he was 26^th at the WAMAC Meet, 19^th at the 3A state qualifier and 94^th at the 3A state meet.

Keep an eye on: Junior Spencer Michels is poised for a big-time junior season after closing his sophomore season strong by finishing 15^th at the WAMAC conference meet and the 3A state qualifier before a 75^th place finish at the 3A state meet.

Ready for a breakthrough: Juniors Camden Lyons and Rene Meza are both in position to step into the lineup and make an immediate impact as Solon looks to build on its success of the past three seasons.

Circle the date: September 23 Solon Invitational. The Spartans host their own invite and welcome a field that features ranked teams Mount Vernon-Lisbon (#3 in 3A), Tipton (#15 in 2A) and Williamsburg (#19 in 3A).

Breakdown: A Solon squad that won the WAMAC Conference crown and finished seventh at the Class 3A state meet was hit hard by graduation but the Spartans aren’t one of the top perennial programs in the state for no reason.

Burg and Michels both have state meet experience and return to lead the way.

Lyons and Meza are a pair of runners that will need to step up as the Spartans will look to fill out its varsity lineup while continuing its string of recent success.

Regina

Coach: Chad Swope (24^th season)

Assistant coaches: Bailey Gale

Last season: 6^th at Class 1A State Meet

Returning letterwinners: Howie O’Rourke, Jr.; Evan White, Jr.; Lincoln Dardis, Sr.; Brendan Olney, Jr.; Conall Smith, Jr.; Jack Kopecky, Jr.; Eli Whitaker, Sr.

Newcomers to watch: Colin Laubscher, Fr.; Landon Hoffman, Fr.; Wyatt Kaeding, Fr.; Huck Zahasky, Fr.

Headliner: Junior Howie O’Rourke came on strong at the end of his sophomore season finishing 17^th at the River Valley Conference Meet, 11^th at the 1A state qualifier and 56^th at the Class 1A state meet. Regina coach Chad Swope is expecting an even better season for O’Rourke this fall.

Keep an eye on: Junior Evan White was a varsity runner last season and like O’Rourke finished with a flurry. White was 14^th at the 1A state qualifying meet and was the fifth Regina finisher at the 1A state meet placing 65^th overall.

Circle the date: September 5 Bob Brown Invitational at Kickers Soccer Park. The Bob Brown Invite isn’t just a chance for Regina to run on its home course early in the season it gives the Regals an opportunity to measure up against some strong programs from larger classes.

Breakdown: Long-time Regina coach Chad Swope has another strong team on his hands as Regina returns seven letterwinners from a program that finished seventh at the 1A state meet last season.

White and O’Rourke will pace the Regals and give Regina a very strong front of the pack duo.

The key for Regina will be filling out the rest of the lineup and Swope will have options with five upperclassmen returning along with a solid freshman class coming in.

Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.