District XC roundup

Thursday afternoon marks arguably the most important day in the Iowa high school cross-country schedule.

State qualifying from all across the state will be happening, with all area teams set to participate with high hopes that they?ll be running at the state meet in Fort Dodge on Halloween.

A difference this year for the state-qualifying format: the top three teams will be sent to the meet, while the top 15 individual runners will also qualify. In the past it has only been the top two teams and top 10 individuals.

Below is a quick guide on how area teams stack up in their respective meets.

Class 3A: Washington at Waterworks Park, Fairfield.

The Demons face a daunting task on both the boys? and girls? side of their district meet, with all their conference opponents also running in Fairfield.

Based on the conference meet standings from one week ago, the best shot for a Demon qualifying for the state meet would be All-Conference senior Emme Keith, who took seventh at last week?s Southeast Conference meet.

Things won?t be easy on the girls? side of the meet, with top-ranked Assumption, No. 4 ranked Marion, No. 8 ranked Fort Madison, and other quality teams such as Cedar Rapids Xavier and Fairfield in attendance.

Individually for the girls? side, No. 4 ranked Madison Bach from Marion is the top-ranked runner in the district, with No. 5 ranked Julia Schumacher from Assumption also in the field.

All-in-all, seven ranked runners are in the field on the girls? side at the district meet.

On the boys? side, it doesn?t get much easier with top-ranked Logan Murray from Mt. Pleasant leading the field of five ranked runners in the district.

In the team race, No. 5 Mt. Pleasant, No. 9 Cedar Rapids Xavier, No. 14 Clear Creek Amana and No. 15 Marion will all be in attendance.

Washington?s top runner on the year, Owen Horak took 12th place at the conference meet.

Class 2A: Mid-Prairie, Columbus at Cedarcrest Country Club, Columbus Junction

The Mid-Prairie cross-country teams will be looking to make history for the second-straight season, as they hope to send both their boys? and girls? teams to state in the same season for the first time.

Last year, Mid-Prairie?s girl? ssquad qualified for state as a team for the first time in school history, while the boys? was edged out for a state spot.

Both the boys? and girls? teams are ranked in Class 2A, with the boys sitting at fourth in the state and the girls at 10th in the latest rankings.

Other ranked teams that will be in attendance at the meet in Columbus Junction are No. 8 Williamsburg and No. 14 ranked Northeast, Goose Lake on the boys? side, while the girls? side features No. 6 ranked Williamsburg and a quality Mediapolis team.

Mid-Prairie?s boys will be led by sophomore Peyton Miller, who is ranked No. 18 in Class 2A, while senior Ryan Errthum is ranked No. 25.

On the girls? side of the meet, Mid-Prairie will by led by No. 18 ranked Anna Hostetler, while No. 19 ranked Maddi Zahradnek will also be fighting for a state spot.

Columbus will also be in attendance at the meet with senior Josh Keller (ranked No. 16 on the year) looking to advance to the state meet for the second-straight season.

Class 1A: Highland, IMS, Keota, WACO at Seminole Valley, Cedar Rapids

In the Class 1A district held at Seminole Valley, there will be four area teams in attendance, looking to make their marks at the meet.

The field will be tough, as it will feature No. 2 ranked Bellvue and No. 9 Regina on the boys? side, while the girls? race will feature No. 3 ranked Central Elkader, No. 6 ranked Regina and quality Bellevue and Durant teams in its field.

Bellevue?s Andrew Meyer leads the pack as the top-ranked runner in Class 1A, while Highland?s Keiffer Sexton will look to advance to the state meet again, coming into the race as the No. 14 ranked runner.

On the girls? side, the No. 1 ranked Alyssa Williams from Durant and the No. 3 ranked Camryn Reeg from Bellevue will be running, with no area girls ranked in Class 1A.