Hostetler ranked 1st

When the the Iowa High School Track and Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association published its individual rankings for cross-country over the last few years, it was no surprise to see a Hostetler atop the Class 2A girls rankings.

With the graduations of Ana Hostetler and Marie Hostetler, other individuals in Class 2A may have had a chance to have that No. 1 position.

However, when the first 2020 individual rankings came out Tuesday, Danielle Hostetler of Mid-Prairie was ranked first in Class 2A.

She is the younger sister of Ana and Marie and she has already posted a time faster than either of them ran in high school, setting a new record for the Golden Hawks.

Courses vary from year-to-year and location to location. It isn't as simple as comparing times because of these variations. It is simple to see the talent of Hostetler as well as others at Mid-Prairie.

The Golden Hawks have two others ranked in the Top 10 with Ana Fleming at No. 9 and Jaden Yoder at No. 10. Sydney Yoder is 12th, Mitzi Evans is 16th and Abby Fleming is 20th. Chandler Hershberger is ranked 21st in Class 2A Boys with teammate Thaddeus Shelter at 29th.

Mid-Prairie ran at Anamosa Saturday, which was a difficult course that had nearly a dozen 180-degree turns. Hairpin turns make it very tricky to keep an even pace. The poll is voted upon by a panel of coaches divided by classes. Coaches attempt to collaborate on communicating the difficulty of courses when results are compiled.

Other area runners were also recognized in the first individual rankings of 2020.

Addison Parrott of Danville-New London was third in Class 2A girls and 2A boys from Danville-New London were No. 10 Ty Carr, No. 12 Alexander Julian and No. 25 Oliver Sowell.

Brady Millikin of Pekin was No. 4 in Class 1A and teammate Lauren Dershied was No. 20.

Winfield-Mount Union's Brody Barton was slotted at No. 28 in 1A boys.