City High Gears Up For Postseason Push With Title at Bud Williams Invitational
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
IOWA CITY – As the postseason approaches there comes a slight shift in mindset for the City High girls cross country team.
When the postseason arrives the focus moves from how fast of a time can you post to how high can you finish.
The Little Hawks got into postseason mode a week early on Thursday on its way to winning the team title at it’s own Bud and Bonnie Williams Invitational.
Abigail Burns finished fourth and Grace Hamann was fifth to lead five Little Hawks in the top 12 as Class 4A fifth-ranked City High edged seventh-ranked Dubuque Senior by two points to win the team title at Kickers Soccer Complex in Iowa City.
“Obviously everyone wants to chase down their pr and get good times but it’s really about racing the girls that are next to you and coming out with a good spot,” Hamann said. “Our team has really been working on that this year and it’s really showing.”
City High finished with 35 points to edge Dubuque Senior and No. 11 Cedar Rapids Prairie in a strong top three.
Burns led the way for City High finishing fourth overall in a time of 18:35.8.
Izzy Hardin of Maquoketa won the individual title in 18:07.9 while Emma Chesterman of Dubuque Senior was runner-up in 18:13.2 and Pekin senior Chloe Glosser was third in 18:17.4.
“I always love this meet, I love competing,” Burns said. “I feel like I stuck with it pretty well and I wish I could have gone with that front pack but at the end I gave it my best and that’s all that matters.”
It was the depth of City High’s lineup that led the Little Hawks on Thursday.
Sophomore Eliza Doster finished eighth in a time of 19:43.6 and junior Naomi Downing-Sherer was 11th in 20:02.6.
Junior Madeline Fischer was right behind Downing-Sherer in 12th place in a time of 20:12.
“We’ve been working a lot on pack running and getting closer to the girl in front of you,” Hamann said. “I think that’s been really helpful and has been a great contributor to what we’ve been able to do so far this season.”
City High finished fourth in the boys race in field filled with ranked teams.
Class 4A third-ranked Cedar Rapids Prairie won the team title with 52 points followed by eighth-ranked Dubuque Senior with 59 points and No. 10 Pleasant Valley with 61.
Seventh-ranked City High was fourth with 89 points followed by No. 16 Dubuque Hempstead with 107 and No. 19 West Des Moines Valley with 129.
“We are being tough but we need to get our legs back underneath us,” City High coach Jayme Skay said. “I think our workouts are wearing them down a little bit. Linus is still not 100 percent, Max McDowell didn’t race today and it’s not an excuse, every team has it but there is a lot going on for them and we need to get them refocused.”
Junior David Randall finished 12th in a time of 16:26.5 to lead City High and junior Emmett Palmberg was 15th in 16:28.4.
“David had a great freshman season and his sophomore year he struggled a little with confidence and getting into the groove and he came back refreshed this year and really looking forward to racing and running cross country and he’s such a great kid,” Skay said. “It’s nice because we talk about everyone learning to run from the front and he was there today.”
Jasper McRoberts finished 20th in 16:42.4 and seniors Jarris Prottsman and Jack Leman finished 24th and 25th respectively for the Little Hawks.
Bud & Bonnie Williams Invitational
At Kickers Soccer Complex
Team scores – 1. City High 35; 2. Dubuque Senior 37; 3. Cedar Rapids Prairie 74; 4. Dubuque Hempstead 115; 5. Pekin 150; 6. Ottumwa 154; 7. Cedar Rapids Jefferson 195
Individual leaders – 1. Izzy Hardin (Maquoketa) 18:07.9; 2. Emma Chesterman (DS) 18:13.2; 3. Chloe Glosser (PEK) 18:17.4; 4. Abigail Burns (ICH) 18:35.8; 5. Grace Hamann (ICH) 19:05.8; 6. Harper Groteluschen (CRP) 19:37; 7. Nevaeh Kessler (DS) 19:40.5; 8. Eliza Doster (ICH) 19:43.6; 9. Briel Bechen (DS) 19:54; 10. Lise Hoyer (DS) 20:01.1; 11. Naomi Downing-Sherer (ICH) 20:02.6; 12. Madeline Fischer (ICH) 20:12; 13. Lamise Ajram (CRP) 20:21.3; 14. Mallory Schaefer (DS) 20:21.5; 15. Josie Dykstra (WACO) 20:27.2
City High (35) – 4. Abigail Burns 18:35.8; 5. Grace Hamann 19:05.8; 8. Eliza Doster 19:43.6; 11. Naomi Downing-Sherer 20:02.6; 12. Madeline Fischer 20:12; 16. Calissa Fruin 20:28.4; 18. Claire Locher 20:37.3
Boys Results
Team scores – 1. Cedar Rapids Prairie 52; 2. Dubuque Senior 59; 3. Pleasant Valley 61; 4. City High 89; 5. Dubuque Hempstead 107; 6. West Des Moines Valley 129; 7. Pekin 253; 8. WACO 260; 9. Cedar Rapids Jefferson 265; 10. Ottumwa 338; 11. Durant 346; 12. Maquoketa 353; 13. Hillcrest Academy 362; 14. Wilton 371
Individual leaders – 1. Cole Carrizales (CRP) 15:43; 2. Kyle Johnson (CRP) 16:05.8; 3. Owen Miller (CRP) 16:06.3; 4. Jonah Whitson (PV) 16:09.2; 5. Thomas Limback (WDV) 16:12.7; 6. Colin Henn (DH) 16:13.7; 7. Liam Kroger (DS) 16:17.1; 8. Joe Knepp (PV) 16:18.4; 9. Owen Anderson (DS) 16:20.3; 10. Landen Orris (PV) 16:23.3; 11. Kamran Foad (PV) 16:25.5; 12. David Randall (ICH) 16:26.5; 13. Jack Kirman (DS) 16:26.6; 14. Grady Kroger (DS) 16:26.6; 15. Emmett Palmberg (ICH) 16:28.4
City High (89) – 12. David Randall 16:26.5; 15. Emmett Palmberg 16:28.4; 18. Leif Eastlund 16:35.5; 20. Jasper McRoberts 16:42.4; 24. Jarris Prottsman 16:51.3; 25. Jack Leman 16:53.7; 32. Zach Howard 17:03.2
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