Mid-Prairie boys, girls on to state cross-country

WILLIAMSBURG — The Mid-Prairie girls nearly had a perfect score and possibly the lowest score ever and certainly for the Golden Hawks for a state qualifying meet. The Mid-Prairie boys were edged for first place by two points but will join the girls at the Class 2A state meet.

Cardinal’s Gavin Grove was determined to qualify in his senior season and did that by finishing in 17 minutes, 35 seconds to place ninth.

The top three teams and top 15 individuals from five district meets move on to state Oct. 30 in Fort Dodge at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course.

Mid-Prairie had the top four female finishers with Danielle Hostetler, Sydney Yoder, Jaden Yoder and Mitzi Evans. Phoebe Shetler was eighth, and Abby Fleming 10th. Hostetler’s winning time was 18:49, a minute faster than second place.

“Even if I get first and I didn’t run a good time then I’m pretty disappointed. I have to run determined,” Hostetler said. “I’m excited both our teams made state. It’s special when everyone gets to go. I would not want to go up to state without my team. They are such a special group of girls.”

Williamsburg was second but the Raider boys won and Mid-Prairie was second, East Marshall third. Albia’s girls were third.

Golden Hawks teammates Thaddeus Shetler (17:27.0) and Chandler Herschberger (17:27.3) raced one another to the finish for sixth.

"I always daydream of beating him,“ Hershberger said. ”I saw the finish and I was 10 meters behind him so I got on my toes and caught up to him but as soon as he saw me, he’s not letting that happen.“

Davis County’s Carson Shively won in 16:59.

Emmett Swartzentruber (17:38) was 11th in the fastest time ever for a freshman at Mid-Prairie.

”That’s pretty crazy,“ Swartzentruber said. He was very nervous before the race. “I think the nerves loosened me up but it depends on the race. State will make me nervous for sure but I am looking forward to it.”

Shetler dropped from No. 7 to 14 in the boys rankings, but he’s just happy to be running pain free. As a sophomore, Shetler was told to stay off a hip injury or there would be consequences. As a junior, tendinitis and a possible stress fracture kept him from competing but he ran at state. That decision put him on crutches because “it was burning so hard. Working on my form and doing some things different has helped me so I can make every race count as a senior.”

“To make state feels amazing after a long season and a long wait,” said Grove, a first-time qualifier who has battled knee problems. "Now I get a practice plan scheduled and make sure I grind it out until state.“

Grove ran one of his faster times on the flat course. “You can get away from yourself real easy, and tired super quick if you don’t keep your pace and not chase people.”

Grove had a goal to finish in the top 10 and kept track. “The turns were shorter so I could see how close behind or far ahead I was. I got passed by two people toward the end but caught back up to one.”

Twin sisters Jaden and Sydney Yoder are seniors.

“Last year at state, I let the pressure get to my head,” Sydney Yoder said. “This year I am really determined because it is my senior year and I am going to do it.”

Jaden Yoder, started the season ranked second, but fell into the 20s. She was injured in track and has continued to battle the pain through the summer and fall. She didn’t look injured as she passed and repassed Evans.

"We use each other for motivation,“ Evans said. ”Competing against each other makes us all better.“

“Mitzi and I were really pushing each other in the last 800,” said Jaden Yoder, who finished 4/10s of a second ahead of Evans. “I had to push hard as I could and caught her.

“We’re just going to do our best at state. I don’t usually start very fast so I just want to keep my race pace and then pass people as they slow down.”

BOYS TEAM SCORES

1. Williamsburg 64, 2. Mid-Prairie 66, 3. East Marshall 79, 4. Davis County 124, 5. Chariton 132, 6. Albia 135, 7. Interstate 35 144, 8. West Marshall 210, 9. Central Lee 262, 10. EBF 293, 11. PCM 337

Mid-Prairie — 6. Thaddeus Shetler 17:27.0, 7. Chandler Herschberger 17:27.3, 11. Emmett Swartzentruber 17:38, 21. Preston Yutzy 18:17, 24. Nathan Wallington 18:25

Cardinal — 9. Gavin Grove 17:35, 48. Karson Kirkpatrick 19:56, 75. Kyran Spees 22:51

GIRLS TEAM SCORES

1. Mid-Prairie 18, 2. Williamsburg 56, 3. Albia 100, 4. Davis County 135, 5. East Marshall 150, 6. West Marshall 164, 7. Chariton 203, 8. West Central Valley 204, 9. PCM 221, 10. Cardinal 252, 11. Central Lee 330

Mid-Prairie — 1. Danielle Hostetler 18:49, 2. Sydney Yoder 19:49, 3. Jaden Yoder 20:11.1, 4. Mitzi Evans 20:11.5, 8. Phoebe Shetler 20:31

Cardinal — 41. Araceli Zaragoza-Tapetillo 23:18, 56. Caitlyn Reber 24:33, 57. Lauren Sloan 24:36, 61. Ava Ferrell 25:02, 67. Makenzie Preston 26:19