Looking ahead: SEC cross-country

The Southeast Conference cross-country scene has been run by the Washington Demons for the last two years.

In 2022, the defending champion Demon boys’ team had to hold off Fort Madison in a nail-biter during the SEC meet at Waterworks Park in Fairfield, winning by three points. The girls defended their title by a much larger margin, besting Fairfield by 31.

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The 2023 cross-country field should look a lot like the one in 2022. Only one senior finished Top-10 in the 2022 SEC boys race, making nine of the 10 eligible to come back. On the girls’ side, all 10 are eligible to come back to the courses this season.

That all includes defending SEC individual boys champion Micah Rees of Washington, who also finished 13th at the state meet in Fort Dodge.

Fort Madison’s Avery Rump bested Washington’s Iris Dahl to become SEC champion last season. Dahl beat Rump at state, as the two finished seventh and eighth respectively. The Demon girls were state qualifiers as a team for the first time in school history.

2022 SEC BOYS’ TEAM STANDINGS: 1. Washington 43; 2. Fort Madison 46; 3. Burlington 85; 4. Mt. Pleasant 88; 5. Fairfield 114; 6. Keokuk 281.

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2022 SEC BOYS’ TOP-10: 1. Micah Rees (11), Washington, 16:40.06; 2. Ben Carthey (11), Mt. Pleasant, 17:04.46; 3. Sam Morehead (12), Burlington, 17:38.95; 4. Joey Jolin (11), Burlington, 17:42.98; 5. Riley Tripp (9), Fort Madison, 17:50.00; 6. Jacob Shottenkirk (10), Fort Madison, 17:50.58; 7. Tyler Alderton (10), Washington, 17:51.18; 8. Jude Dykstra (9), Mt. Pleasant, 17:51.70; 9. Lane Schrock (11), Washington, 17:52.34; 10. Mason McLey (9), Fort Madison, 17:59.94.

Bold = expected returner

2022 SEC GIRLS’ TEAM STANDINGS: 1. Washington 26; 2. Fairfield 57; 3. Fort Madison 73; 4. Mt. Pleasant 129; 5. Burlington 153; 6. Keokuk 171.

2022 GIRLS’ TOP 10: 1. Avery Rump (9), Fort Madison, 16:56.05; 2. Iris Dahl (9), Washington, 20:12.13; 3. Alyvia Anderson (10), Washington, 20:58.19; 4. Quincy Griffis (10), Washington, 20:59.41; 5. Addison Rump (9), Fort Madison, 21:01.23; 6. Carley Seeley (11), Fairfield, 21:03.43; 7. Malena Bloomquist (11), Fairfield, 21:09.29; 8. Kendall Hinrichsen (10), Washington, 21:18.81; 9. Loran Horak (10), Washington, 21:32.34; 10. Angeline Anderson (9), Washington, 21:33.36.

Bold = eligible returner