Mid-Prairie: Favorite, dark horse

WELLMAN - There are favorites, there are overwhelming favorites, there are sure things and then there is Mid-Prairie's girls cross-country team.

The Golden Hawks are clear favorites for a fourth consecutive state title and they hope that the boys team can take the podium with them.

Head coach Mark Hostetler foresees both a boys and girls state title Saturday at the Class 2A state meet in Fort Dodge. 'The boys are doing much better. Thaddeus Shetler is planning on running. If he can run 17 minutes, 35 seconds, we have a good chance of winning.”

The boys don't have the depth the girls do, so that may be a factor. A dark horse ranked sixth, the boys must overcome injuries and run perfect races while the girls have so much depth, two non-scoring runners finished in the top 15 at districts.

The girls outdistanced No. 2-ranked Williamsburg and No. 3 Tipton in the last two meets. The keys to continuing that dominance is to keep focused, stay humble, and run without fear.

If the boys run with confidence and determination, there is the chance of stepping on the podium, maybe to the top level.

'Seniors Jamie Stutsman and Lucas Bontrager are coming on strong and we'll look to their leadership,” Mid-Prairie assistant coach Aaron Fleming said.

Danville-New London is strong and deep, while Tipton is a two-time defending state champ and both have recent victories over Mid-Prairie by 23 and 29 points, respectively. Stutzman harbors a chance to win the individual title. Tipton and Sheldon runners could win the individual title as could D-NL's Ty Carr.

'We have beaten several other top-ranked teams such as Des Moines Christian and Davis County earlier in the season,” Fleming said.

The top seven individual finishes of the district race to get to state may see the same order at state. That would be winner Danielle Hostetler D-NL's Addison Parrott, Sydney Yoder, Jaden Yoder, Williamsburg's Ruth Jennings, Mitzi Evans and Abby Fleming.

Amanda Treptow of Jessup is a bit of an unknown factor.

Racing strategy may determine finishes. Discipline and mental toughness will optimizes athletes' physiological potential.

'The location or stakes of a race don't change, so we'll do our thing,” Fleming said. 'The high stakes actually play to our favor, since the excitement and adrenaline rush often induces other teams into blazing fast starts that come back to bite them.”

Some runners withstand a fast start, but many suffer for it. The athletes who keep their cool take advantage of others.

'We have a great batch of great kids with loads of character and discipline, so we're confident they'll comport themselves well,” Fleming said.

While Hostetler is a freshman, she has experience just through her older sisters and head coach father. Four members are back from last year's title while Evans (two) and Ana Fleming (three) have championships under their belt respectively. Hostetler and fellow freshman Abby Fleming went 1-2 at the eighth grade statewide meet last year, so they have experience under pressure.

Saturday will see who is under pressure and who has topped it.