Surprises in release of cross-country rankings

The cross-country rankings for individuals and teams furnished some surprises this week when the lists were released.

It is no surprise to see a Mid-Prairie runner atop the Iowa High School Track and Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association's ratings. It has not even been a surprise to see the top two ranked girls in Class 2A be Golden Hawks, but both names were Hostetler. The surprise was three of the top four spots are attending Mid-Prairie and competing on courses. Competing, or maybe dominating is a better description.

The individual Class 2A rankings saw Mid-Prairie at Nos. 1 and 2 and 4 when this week's list was released. The girls team was first with the boys third, moving up from seventh last week.

Danielle Hostetler was No. 1, even though she is just starting her freshman year, but No. 2 Jaden Yoder moved up from No. 10 last week and has Golden Hawk teammate and fellow junior Sydney Yoder fourth.

The boys team rankings saw Danville-New London atop Class 2A, moving up from second last week, although individuals dropped. At No. 11 from 10 was Ty Carr, No. 14 from 12 was Alexander Julian and No. 25 Oliver Sowell dropped out.

Class 1A provided a surprise with Columbus being mentioned as a team to watch, although maybe it was not a surprise for the Wildcats.

'We feel like we deserve consideration because we have won two meets and have gone 11-0 against other Class 1A teams,” Columbus head coach Steve Riley said. 'Now we have to try to earn a spot among the top 15 teams.”

The Wildcats have improved over the last couple seasons under Riley, who is in his ninth year coaching Columbus. There are 14 boys out for the team, providing depth and competition under captain Owen Watson, the only senior.

'Being a Team to Watch is very good for our school all around,” Riley said. 'I talked to the kids, and the rankings are all positive.”

Brady Millikin of Pekin stayed at No. 4 in Class 1A, but the Panthers moved from eighth to fifth. Pekin's girls improved from third to second with Lily Fariss entering the rankings at No. 22 and Lauren Dershied 29th after 20th last week.

Addison Parrott of Danville-New London fell to seventh from third, but her team is on the watch list.

Winfield-Mount Union's Brody Barton went from No. 28 to 25 in 1A boys.

TEAM RANKINGS

BOYS

Class 4A

1. Dubuque Hempstead, 2. Sioux City North, 3. Cedar Falls, 4. WDM Dowling Catholic, 5. Cedar Rapids Prairie, 6. Johnston, 7. Ames, 8. Waukee, 9. Iowa City West, 10. Iowa City Liberty, 11. Ankeny Centennial, 12. Iowa City, City High, 13. Pleasant Valley, 14. Norwalk, 15. Urbandale

Teams to watch: Ankeny, Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Linn-Mar, North Scott, Southeast Polk

Class 3A

1. Dallas Center Grimes, 2. Pella, 3. North Polk, 4. Decorah, 5. Dubuque Wahlert, 6. Solon, 7. Marion, 8. Center Point Urbana, 9. Mount Vernon-Lisbon, 10. Humboldt, 11. West Delaware, 12. Monticello, 13. Carlisle, 14. Clear Creek Amana, 15. Waverly Shell Rock

Teams to watch: Atlantic, Glenwood, Harlan, LeMars, MOC Floyd Valley

Class 2A

1. Danville-New London, 2. Denver, 3. Mid-Prairie, 4. Williamsburg, 5. Tipton, 6. Davis County, 7. Western Christian, 8. Des Moines Christian, 9. Central Decatur, 10. GC-GR, 11. Albia, 12. North Fayette Valley, 13. Okoboji, 14. GLR-CL, 15. Northeast

Teams to watch: Camanche, Clarinda, Crestwood, Missouri Valley, Unity Christian

Class 1A

1. Madrid, 2. Earlham, 3. Maquoketa Valley, 4. West Fork, 5. Pekin, 6. Bellevue, 7. Nodaway Valley, 8. Cascade Western Dubuque, 9. Newman Mason City, 10. Calamus-Wheatland, 11. Ogden, 12. Gehlen Catholic (Le Mars), 13. ACGC (Guthrie Center), 14. IKM-Manning, 15. South Winneshiek

Teams to watch: Colo Nesco, Columbus Community (Columbus Junction), East Marshall, St. Edmond Fort Dodge, Tri-Center

GIRLS

Class 4A

1. Linn-Mar, 2. Johnston, 3. Southeast Polk, 4. West Des Moines Valley, 5. Dubuque Senior, 6. Waukee, 7. Iowa City, City High, 8. Iowa City Liberty,. Bettendorf, 10. Dubuque Hempstead, 11. Cedar Rapids Prairie, 12. Sioux City East, 13. Indianola, 14. Urbandale, 15. Epworth Western Dubuque

Teams to Watch: Ankeny, Ankeny Centennial, Cedar Falls, West Des Moines Dowling Catholic, Pleasant Valley

Class 3A

1. Ballard, 2. Dallas Center-Grimes, 3. Dubuque Wahlert, 4. SiouxCity Heelan, 5. Glenwood, 6. Harlan, 7. Solon, 8. Mount Vernon-Lisbo, 9. Decorah, 10 Charles City, 11 Davenport Assumption, 12. Spencer, 13. Carlisle, 14. Monticello, 15. Pella

Teams to Watch: Atlantic, ADM, MOC-Floyd Valley, North Polk, Sergeant Bluff-Luton

Class 2A

1. Mid-Prairie, 2. Williamsburg, 3. Jesup, 4. Starmont, 5. WcKp, 6. Unity Christian, 7. Panorama, Panora, 8. Denver, 9. Davis County, 10. Waukon, 11. Sibley-Ocheyedan, 12. Roland Story, 13. Cherokee, 14. Tipton, 15. Okoboji

Teams to Watch: Chariton, Danville-New London, Dike-New Hartford, DSM Christian, Emmetsburg

Class 1A

1. Van Meter, 2. Pekin, 3. AHSTW, 4. Hudson, 5. Kee Lansing, 6. Iowa City Regina, 7. St. Edmond, 8. Newman Mason City, 9. Tri Center, 10. South Winneshiek, 11. North Linn, 12. ACGC, 13. Nasuha Plainfield, 14. Sumner Fredricksburg, 15. Nodaway Valley

Teams to Watch: Central Elkader, Collins Maxwell, Madrid, Marquette, Ridge View