Mid-Prairie’s Marie Hostetler delivers championship ‘birthday present’ at state cross country

FORT DODGE — Marie Hostetler had a special birthday message for her father on Saturday.

The Mid-Prairie junior used a card to sketch an outline of the cross country course at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge, site of the Class 2A state championships.

She highlighted the drawing with a simple message to Mark Hostetler, her father and Mid-Prairie head coach.

'Meet me at the end,' the message stated. 'I have a birthday present for you.'

The 'gift' was a second individual state title in a row for Marie, whose time of 18:02.1 outpaced defending 1A state champion Emily Staal of Springville-Central City by more than five seconds.

'She doesn't usually say much,' said Mark Hostetler, who turned 58 on Saturday. 'But when she told me, 'I have a present for you at the end,' and I saw her face at the beginning of the race, she just looked really like, 'I am going to do this.''

For Marie Hostetler, the victory avenged a loss to Stahl at the Oct. 18 state-qualifying meet. Hostetler now owns two of the four fastest girls' running times since the race became a 5K four years ago.

With another championship effort from Marie, plus top-22 performances from teammates Mitzy Evans and Ana Fleming, Mid-Prairie claimed the 2A girls' team title for the second year in a row with 89 points.

'It means so much,' Marie Hostetler said. 'They are amazing and they run so hard. I know they ran their hearts out today.'

Williamsburg placed four runners — junior Grace Schaefer, freshmen Ruth Jennings and Taylor Winegarden, plus sophomore Charlotte Wetjen — in the top 44 overall, which helped the Raiders place second as a team (118 points). After getting within eight points of Mid-Prairie at the state-qualifying meet, Williamsburg Coach Nick Nordheim expected another close battle that did not materialize.

'Honestly, we didn't run as well as I thought we would have,' Nordheim said. 'When we came through, I didn't think we were second because we weren't where I expected us to be. But it does show that we have strong depth.'

Cascade senior Madison Kelchen finished sixth overall (19:45.7), which mirrored the team standing for the Cougars. Staal's older sister Janelle was seventh in 19:48.1.

The 2A boys' team title was won by Tipton, which had not won a state title in boys' cross country since a Class B crown in 1975. The Tigers were led by sophomore Caleb Shumaker, who finished fourth in 16:33.

'Just the preparation I did this summer,' Shumaker said when asked about his leap up the rankings this season. 'I put in a lot more miles than I did the last couple of years. That's really got my legs where they need to be.'

Tipton senior Ben Ellis was 11th overall, while juniors Trent Pelzer, Landon Hill and Andrew Olseen all finished among the top 43 runners.

'This was the year we were going to make our community proud of us,' Tipton Coach Eric Walsh said. 'The boys showed up and did it.'

Monticello finished sixth overall in the boys' standings.

CLASS 2A CROSS COUNTRY STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Fort Dodge

(Lakeside Golf Course)

Girls' results

Teams —

1. Mid-Prairie 89; 2. Williamsburg 118; 3. Woodbury Central-Kingsley Pierson 131; 4. Jesup 145; 5. New London-Danville 155; 6. Cascade 180; 7. Panorama 180; 8. Unity Christian 185; 9. Crestwood 191; 10. Aplington-Parkersburg 211; 11. Waukon 238; 12. Dike-New Hartford 246; 13. Shenandoah 318; 14. Albia 348; 15. Cherokee 353.

Individuals (Top 3 plus area) —

1. Marie Hostetler (MP), 18:02.10; 2. Emily Staal (Springville-Central City), 18:07.40; 3. Cassidy Ihns (C), 18:58.30; 7. Janelle Staal (S-CC), 19:48.10; 14. Kallie Wallick (Tipton), 20:04.20; 23. Emma Squiers (Dyersville Beckman), 20:33.90; 29. Brynn Gamm (North Fayette Valley), 20;45.90; 43. Kiley Chapman (North Cedar), 21:10; 59. Karle Kramer (Monticello), 21:24.30; 62. Markee Low (Camanche), 21:27.70;

MID-PRAIRIE (89):

1. Hostetler 18:02.10; 14. Mitzy Evans 20:32.50; 15. Ana Fleming 20:32.80; 23. Moriah Brase 21:00.30; 36. Kate Cavanagh 21:24.80;

WILLIAMSBURG (118);

12. Grace Schaefer 20:31.90; 18. Ruth Jennings 20:51.10; 24. Taylor Winegarden 21:03.20; 27. Charlotte Wetjen 21:11.80; 37. Megan Rathjen 21:37.10;

JESUP (145):

Emily Treptow 20:31.60; 16. Natalie O'Connor 20:39.60; 21. Amanda Treptow 20:57.50; 44. Grace Thompson 21:41.30; 53. Marlee Devore 22:15.70;

CASCADE (180):

Madison Kelchen 19:45.70; Madeline Rhomberg 19:58.50; 20. Emma Ostwinkle 20:53; 72. Shannon Morris 22:52.50; 75. Marie Knepper 22:57.90;

Boys' results

Teams —

1. Tipton 72; 2. Bellevue 100; 3. Sioux Center 102; 4. George-Little Rock 108; 5. Roland-Story 170; 6. Monticello 198; 7. South Hardin 205; 8. Camanche 210; 9. Albia 228; 10. Davis County 230; 11. Okoboji 245; 12. Grundy Center 258; 13. Des Moines Christian 272; 14. Unity Christian 300; 15. Williamsburg 307.

Individuals (Top 3 plus area) —

1. Reece Smith (Garner Hayfield), 16:00.70; 2. Joe Anderson (George-Little Rock) 16:22.20; 3. Jerry Jorgenson (Treynor), 16:32.60; 12. Lake LeBahn (Union), 17:00; 30. Caleb Christiansen (Springville-Central City), 17:34.30; 31. Andrew Hilgendorf (Northeast), 17:34.50; 32. Quinn Schmidt (MP), 17:36.20;

TIPTON (72):

2. Caleb Shumaker 16:33; 5. Ben Ellis 16:55; 12. Trent Pelzer 17:18.80; 22. Landan Hill 17:38.30; 31. Andrew Olseen 17:44.40;

BELLEVUE (100):

3. Brady Griebel 16:39; 15. Kyle Guenther 17:21.60; 16. Jack Sieverding 17:22; 17. Alex Reed 17:25.30; 49. Andrew Penniston 18:14.80;

MONTICELLO (198):

14. Cole Cruise 17:19.80; 38. Jasper Nietert 17:38.90; 40. Daltyn Kramer 18:04.40; 44. Carter Kurt 18:12.40; 62. Zach Chapman 18:33.70;

CAMANCHE (210):

4. Dylan Darsidean 16:39.30; 30. Dodson Melchiori 17:43.60; 54. Blake Leu 18:19.80; 55. James Sbertoli 18:20.40; 67. Zach Edens 18:40.10;

WILLIAMSBURG (307):

33. Angelo Santiago 17:52.80; 45. Kaiden Royster 18:13; 61. Jacob Mohr 18:33.50; 83. Josiah Zook 19:05.70; 85. Chase Malloy 19:08.60.

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com