Topham closing in on history

FORT DODGE -- Rebekah Topham matched history Saturday, and gave herself an opportunity to make it next year.

A junior at Griswold High School, Topham won her third straight Class 1A girls' individual championship, outrunning Sibley-Ocheyedan's Leah Seivert in the final half-mile.

Topham finished in 13:56, the fastest of any female on the Lakeside Golf Course grass Saturday. She became the fifth Iowa high school girl to win three state titles. None have won four.

Pekin's girls and Denver's boys were convincing team champions. Pekin outscored freshman-dominant Pocahontas Area, 81-113, while Denver beat West Fork, 89-119.

Denver's Kyle Kehoe won the boys' individual crown in 16:17. Highland's Evan Mahler was third in 16:41.

"A good way to end the year," Mahler said. "I got out strong toward the front, then picked off as many guys as I could."

Clayton Ridge's Jasmine Staebler (15:06) and North Tama's Abigail Watson (15:07) were fourth and fifth in the girls' competition.

"I kept moving up, and I had a lot left at the end," Staebler said. "I had a good, strong finish."

South Winneshiek's boys were third. Elkader Central, South Winn and North Linn were third, fourth and sixth in the girls' race. 

CLASS 1A RESULTS

GIRLS

Teams – 1. Pekin 81, 2. Pocahontas Area 113, 3. Elkader Central 126, 4. South Winneshiek 142, 5. Lynnville-Sully 145, 6. North Linn 185, 7. Griswold 204, 8. Council Bluffs St. Albert 214, 9. Emmetsburg 215, 10. South Hamilton 251, 11. Durant 259, 12. Exira-EHK 268, 13. Mason City Newman 272, 14. North Iowa 298, 15. Sibley-Ocheyedan 341.

Individuals – 1. Rebekah Topham (Gris), 13:56; 2. Leah Seivert (SibOch), 14:10; 3. Grace Meyer (Poky), 15:02; 4. Jasmine Staebler (Clayton Ridge), 15:06; 5. Abigail Watson (North Tama), 15:07; 6. Tiffany Christensen (Eagle Grove), 15:15; 7. Gwynne Wright (Pekin), 15:17; 8. Destiny Scar (Nodaway Valley), 15:20 9. Michelle Mumm (Tri-Center), 15:28; 10. Faith Meyer (Poky), 15:28; 11. Kari Fitzpatrick (Ed-Co), 15:28; 12. Nicole Miller (NLinn), 15:35; 13. Dakota Hostetter (Colfax-Mingo), 15:36; 14. Mackenzie Hulsing (SW Iowa), 15:43; 15. Shae Dahlstrom (Pekin), 15:43.

BOYS

Teams – 1. Denver 89, 2. West Fork 119, 3. South Winneshiek 157, 4. Oakland Riverside 167, 5. Bellevue 170, 6. Council Bluffs St. Albert 175, 7. Boyer Valley 179, 8. Trinity Christian 186, 9. Algona Garrigan 186, 10. Highland 188, 11. Wapello 213, 12. Eagle Grove 256, 13. Mapleton MVAO 290, 14. Alta-Aurelia 300, 15. Pekin 327.

Individuals – 1. Kyle Kehoe (Den), 16:17; 2. Peyton Twedt (WFork), 16:37; 3. Evan Mahler (High), 16:41; 4. Andrew Meyer (Belle), 16:43; 5. Alex Van Ginkel (TrinChr), 16:47; 6. Devin Franzen (SWinn), 16:47; 7. Ryan Izer (Tuekey Valley), 16:51; 8. Hunter Hostetler (Westwood), 16:51; 9. Cole Silver (BCLUW), 16:54; 10. Jacob Hansen (WFork), 16:55; 11. Collin McFadden (Don Bosco), 17:02; 12. Lucas Schmidt (Bellevue Marquette), 17:04; 13. Scott Aamodt (Lake Mills), 17:04; 14. Caleb Wedeking (North Butler), 17:04; 15. Noah Stephas (EagleG), 17:08.