5 Gazette-area storylines for the 2024 Iowa high school state cross country championships

FORT DODGE — It was here, last year, that Noelle Steines won her third consecutive state cross country championship.

It was here, also, that we learned that she would be transferring to Tipton.

Steines’ pursuit of a fourth title is one of the major area storylines this weekend at Lakeside Golf Course. The 3A and 4A races are Friday; 1A and 2A run Saturday.

High temperatures for both days are expected in the high 50s, with a slight chance of rain Saturday afternoon.

Here are five things to watch:

Noelle Steines’ pursuit for history

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Ten years ago, Griswold’s Rebekah Topham captured her fourth consecutive 1A girls’ title.

Nobody before had won four. Nobody has since.

After winning three 1A titles at Calamus-Wheatland, Steines will be the 2A favorite when the gun goes off at 2 p.m. Saturday.

In Steines’ first three trips around the Lakeside course, she has run times of 18:20, 18:39 and 18:22, winning by margins of 16, 3 and 13 seconds.

She won the Monticello regional race last week by 46 seconds.

Steines recently said she has made college visits to Colorado, Missouri and Liberty.

Mid-Prairie is a 2A dual contender

Seriously, has any area school enjoyed more fall sports success than Mid-Prairie?

The Golden Hawks won a district football title, and advanced to state in volleyball.

Then there’s cross country. Both the girls’ and boys’ teams are projected to challenge for 2A championships Saturday afternoon.

Fun fact: Mid-Prairie has taken home some sort of gold medal every year since 2016.

The Golden Hawks won the boys’ 2016 team championship, the Hostetler sisters won girls’ individual golds every year from 2016 through 2022, and the girls won five straight team titles (2017-21).

Last year, it was Emmett Swartzentruber that came through, winning the boys’ individual title.

Both teams were decisive victors at last week’s state-qualifying meet at Pella.

3A boys’ duel: Western Dubuque’s Quentin Nauman and Pella’s Canaan Dunham

Pella’s Canaan Dunham was the 3A individual champion last year as a sophomore. In the meantime, Western Dubuque’s Quentin Nauman has developed into Dunham’s equal.

Nauman was the star of the show at the 3A state track meet in May, winning four events (800, 1,600, 3,200, distance medley relay). He has carried that momentum into the fall.

At the season-opening Prairie Invitational, Nauman bested a field that included Dunham, as well as Cedar Falls’ Jaden Merrick, another elite junior.

Nauman was the champion at the Solon district, building an 18-second advantage over Des Moines Christian ace Caleb Ten Pas. Meanwhile, Dunham ran 15:05 at the Pella district, winning by 70 seconds.

As is the case in a deep 4A field, it might take a sub-15 effort to win it.

Best bets for the Metro/Iowa City

While we’re in the discussion of the 4A boys’ race, let’s recognize Iowa City Liberty’s Keegan Decker, who has developed into the area’s top big-school runner.

Decker was the top 4A freshman last year, finishing 17th (the next best was 35th). Now, he is a top-five contender.

At the Dubuque district, Decker ran 15:01, just eight seconds behind Merrick.

Other 4A notables from the Corridor include Slader Buckheister and Adam Gray of Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Moustafa Tiea of Iowa City West and Linus McRoberts of Iowa City High.

Along with Cedar Rapids Prairie, City High could finish in the top five in the boys’ race. The Little Hawks’ girls are the class of the Corridor.

Welcome to the show, Springville Orioles

Springville’s boys are making their first appearance in school history.

The Orioles advanced by winning the Troy Mills 1A district title behind top-15 finishes from Jack Stamp, Josh Skinner and Noah Derrick.

They won’t have an individual title contender in their race Saturday morning, but balance and depth could get them a top-half finish in the 16-team field; their spread from 1-through-5 was a mere 70 seconds at Troy Mills.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com