Tipton’s Noelle Steines captures her 4th state cross country championship

FORT DODGE — Scootch over a bit, Rebekah Topham. Make room for Noelle Steines.

The girls’ cross country Quad Squad has doubled in membership.

Steines became the second girl in state history to claim four individual championships. The Tipton High School senior did it in commanding style Saturday afternoon at Lakeside Golf Course, leading from gun to finish line and winning the Class 2A title.

“It’s another step in getting closer to my dream,” Steines said after her 5-kilometer victory lap. “People have doubted me ... I wasn’t as good at the finish as I wanted to be, but I really gassed it that first mile.”

Steines won three consecutive 1A titles while competing for Calamus-Wheatland. She transferred to Tipton the week after her third title last year, then ran her best time on the Lakeside turf Saturday, in 18:12.

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Her margin of victory was 19 seconds, but she was wobbly after crossing the finish line.

“I’ve never felt this loopy in a race,” Steines said, showing her left forearm which was decorated in marker with three words (Leave It All) and a heart. “I didn’t want to leave here with any regrets.”

Topham won four 1A titles for Griswold between 2011 and 2014, then competed at Wichita State. Steines has not yet made up her college plans.

Mid-Prairie girls, Oelwein boys win team titles

Steines’ title headlined a bushelful of area 2A glory. Mid-Prairie’s girls and Oelwein’s boys earned team championships.

Mid-Prairie won its sixth girls’ title in eight years, with an inexperienced lineup — four of the Golden Hawks were competing here for the first time, three for the second.

“It’s absolutely unbelievable,” said sophomore Brooklyn Stutzman, who led the Golden Hawks with an eighth-place finish. “We came into the season ranked 14th in the state, and we won. I can’t believe it.

“A lot of us are new here, but hard work and mental toughness ... we’re not even going to do a cool-down today.”

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Freshman Rachel Hostetler — the fourth sister in the Hostetler family — was 14th, Sophomore Kendal Landstrum was 15th.

Mid-Prairie scored 84 points, and was followed by Unity Christian (92), Van Meter (114) and Tipton (153).

The Golden Hawks’ recent run has been orchestrated by Coach Mark Hostetler.

“He always has us prepared,” said Dessa Poll, the lone senior on the state roster.

Oelwein’s boys denied Mid-Prairie a team sweep, outscoring the Golden Hawks, 113-128, Unity Christian and Denver both scored 152, with Unity claiming the tiebreaker.

“Being from Oelwein, we don’t get as many of these great wins,” Conall Sauser said. “I didn’t run as well as I could have, but when you see the team results, it doesn’t even matter.

“We were unsure at the beginning of the season whether we’d even make it to state, but our third, fourth and fifth runners really stepped up. Winning as an individual would be a great feeling, but winning as a team is even better.”

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Sauser was eighth, Caleb Schunk 13th, Keshaun Williams 25th.

Grundy Center’s Emerson Vokes was the boys’ individual champ in 15:37. Vinton-Shellsburg’s Alex Torres edged Spirit Lake’s Brandon Hughes for silver by 1-tenth of a second; both were clocked in 15:55.

“This is a blessing,” Torres said. “For my coaches, my teammates, my family ... all glory to God.

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“I was getting tired at the end. My gym coach texted me today and said, ‘Believe that you are one of the all-time greats, because you are.’”

Last year’s champion, Mid-Prairie’s Emmett Swartzentruber was fourth. Nathan Pint of Jesup was ninth.

Union Community’s Amilia Condon was sixth, Jesup’s Mackenzie Wilson was ninth.

2024 Iowa state cross country championships

At Lakeside Golf Course, Fort Dodge

Class 2A Iowa high school girls’ state cross country results

TEAMS

1. Mid-Prairie 84

2. Unity Christian 92

3. Van Meter 114

4. Tipton 153

5. Denver 169

6. Sumner-Fredericksburg 184

7. Monroe PCM 218

8. Albia 219

9. Forest City 232

10. Roland-Story 232

11. Hudson 237

12. Waukon 238

13. Crestwood 240

14. Pella Christian 250

15. Cherokee 316

INDIVIDUALS

1. Noelle Steines (Tipton), 18:12

2. Laura Streck (Van Meter), 18:31

3. McKenna Montgomery (Albia), 18:43

4. Addison Liston (Unity), 18:45

5. Scarlett Byrnes (Osage), 18:48

6. Amilia Condon (Union Community), 19:03

7. Alyssa Richman (Manson-NW Webster), 19:15

8. Brooklyn Stutzman (Mid-Prairie), 19:20

9. Mackenzie Wilson (Jesup), 19:22

10. Bethany Warren (Forest City), 19:22

11. Ashlynn Sauser (Oelwein), 19:23

12. Reeve Ristau (Denver), 19:24

13. Dalaney Eldridge (West Marshall), 19:25

14. Rachel Hostetler (Mid-Prairie), 19:28

15. Kendal Landstrum (Mid-Prairie), 19:29

16. Katie Young (Unity), 19:34

17. Bailey Vos (Pella Christian), 19:36

18. Addie Thompson (West Marshall), 19:37

19. Lizzy McCann (Van Meter), 19:38

20. Olivia Primrose (Vinton-Shellsburg), 19:43.

Class 2A Iowa high school boys’ state cross country results

TEAMS

1. Oelwein 113

2. Mid-Prairie 128

3. Unity Christian 152

4. Denver 152

5. Chariton 176

6. Garner GHV 179

7. Waukon 189

8. Anamosa 194

9. Spirit Lake 196

10. Forest City 216

11. Tipton 237

12. Okoboji 241

13. Pella Christian 243

14. Jesup 262

15. Sheldon 292

INDIVIDUALS

1. Emerson Vokes (Grundy Center), 15:37

2. Alex Torres (Vinton-Shellsburg), 15:55

3. Brandon Hughes (Spirit Lake), 15:55

4. Emmett Swartzentruber (Mid-Prairie), 15:56

5. Kyle Wagoner (Clarinda), 16:09

6. Zach Flatebo (GHV), 16:10

7. Jesse Gomez (Denver), 16:19

8. Conall Sauser (Oelwein), 16:19

9. Nathan Pint (Jesup), 16:23

10. Dietrich Dirks (Spirit Lake), 16:23

11. Isaac Reisinger (Waukon), 16:25

12. Sawyer Meinders (Pella Christian), 16:27

13. Caleb Schunk (Oelwein), 16:27

14. Preston Yutzy (Mid-Prairie), 16:28

15. Myles Matthias (Denver), 16:31

16. Clay Bohlmann (Tipton) 16:37

17. Evan Osler (Okoboji), 16:46

18. Emmanuel Grass (Red Oak), 16:47

19. Corben Lucchesi (Roland-Story), 16:49

20. Jonah Pringnitz (GHV), 16:51

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com