CPU cross country earns pair of state titles as Adrianna Katcher repeats, Myles Bach dethrones defending champ

FORT DODGE - Adrianna Katcher wondered if the defense of her cross country state title was in jeopardy before the race even began.

Mysterious right-ankle pain left the Center Point-Urbana sophomore hampered for the Oct. 19 state-qualifying meet, but she persevered and won.

In the days leading up to the Class 3A girls' cross country state championships, a regimen of icing and stretching cost her three days of training.

'I just hoped that staying off of it would help heal it,” said Katcher, who won the state title for the second year in a row Saturday at Lakeside Golf Course. 'All I know is that when I go to race, there might be pressure from people to win it again. I know I've just got to give 100 percent and whatever happens, happens.”

With a win in 18:23, Katcher bested runner-up Mary Blanchard of Grinnell by 12 seconds, and surpassed her own 2016 championship time by four ticks.

'Staying calm, running my own race, finishing strong at the end and hoping that will be enough,” Katcher said.

Benton Community senior Sophia Gilbert placed fourth in 18:51.

Dubuque Wahlert won the girls' team title with 72 points. Decorah was third (150), led by senior Katie Nimrod (eighth in 19:06).

Iowa City Liberty freshman Camille Mac earned a medal with a 13th-place finish in 19:16.

Center Point-Urbana claimed a second individual title when senior Myles Bach won the 3A boys' race in 15:49 over defending champion Jeremy Fopma of Marion (15:54).

'I've been looking forward to this race since last year,” Bach said.

Bach was the 3A runner-up last season when he and Fopma were teammates with the Indians.

After his junior year, Bach spent two months with his grandparents in Sioux City training for his final state meet. He transferred to Center Point-Urbana for his senior year and avoided any head-to-head matchups with Fopma until Saturday.

'I knew all season I wasn't racing him until here,” Bach said. 'I've been excited. … I have a ton of respect for him, just as a runner. Training with him for three years, we had a great time. Too bad it couldn't have been another year together. My family just didn't want me to deal with the drama for the races.”

As the postseason approached, Bach was hindered by a lack of energy he attributes to eating problems – too much at times, not enough at other times.

Once his diet was regulated and his energy-level maximized, the stage was set for a state title.

'It's just the things you have to do to be a great runner,” Bach said. 'It doesn't matter how much time you put in if you're not doing the little stuff when you're not running.”

Gilbert won the boys' team title with 75 points. Decorah was third (115) behind senior Andrew Kephart, who finished third in 16:04. Teammate Gus Hayes was seventh (16:19).

Defending 3A boys' champion Mount Vernon-Lisbon was fourth (145), Marion sixth (189) and Center Point-Urbana eighth (222).

Clear Creek Amana placed 10th in the team standings with 242 points, while Cedar Rapids Xavier finished 11th (253).

Prep cross country

Saturday

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Fort Dodge

(Lakeside Golf Course)

CLASS 3A BOYS

Teams -

1. Gilbert 75, 2. Dallas Center-Grimes 113, 3. Decorah 115, 4. Mount Vernon-Lisbon 145, 5. Grinnell 146, 6. Marion 189, 7. Carlisle 210, 8. Center Point-Urbana 222, 9. Sergeant Bluff-Luton 236, 10. Clear Creek Amana 242, 11. C.R. Xavier 253, 12. Bondurant-Farrar 264, 13. Nevada 265, 14. ADM 282, 15. Clear Lake 290

Individuals -

1. Myles Bach (CPU), 15:49.1; 2. Jeremy Fopma (Marion), 15:54.8; 3. Andrew Kephart (Decorah), 16:04.5; 4. Thomas Clower (Grinnell), 16:11.7; 5. Miles Scott (SBL), 16:14.1; 6. Rees Tyler (Gilbert), 16:15.5; 7. Gus Hayes (Decorah), 16:19.8; 8. Cody Mertens (Mt. Pleasant), 16:26.0; 9. Malachi Hornbuckle (Nevada), 16:28.3; 10. Nathan Patel (Gilbert), 16:29.6

Decorah (115):

3. Kephart 16:04.5; 7. Hayes 16:19.8; 22. Jackson Varney 16.51.7; 33. Jarod Phillips 17:00.6; 50. Rye Hawley-Bourcier 17:20.3

Mount Vernon-Lisbon (145):

13. Payton Bahl 16:35.6; 14. Garrett Herring 16:40.1; 29. Thatcher Krob 17:00.1; 31. Kaden Kilburg 17:00.5; 58. Caden Eskelsen 17:29.0

Marion (189):

2. Fopma 15:54.8; 12. Harrison Vanderlinden 16:35.4; 44. Gaven Hiler 17:11.6; 53. Cole Hemann 17:24.2; 78. Connor Bjornsen 17:51.5

Center Point-Urbana (222):

1. Bach 15:49.1; 34. Luke Post 17:01.0; 47. Tristan Miller 17:15.6; 59. Mason Bach 17:30.9; 81. Jed Wyse 18:00.9

Clear Creek Amana (242):

21. Nick O'Connor 16:50.5; 32. Brandon Barker 17:00.6; 36. Jack Sexton 17:01.5; 71. Cole Liebe 17:44.5; 82. Caleb Alcorn 18:01.0

C.R. Xavier (253):

26. Jonathan Lansing 16:55.1; 35. John Pape 17:01.0; 45. Nolan Pithan 17:14.0; 62. Jack Renning 17:34.5; 85. Colby Flynn 18:12.7

CLASS 3A GIRLS

Teams -

1. Dubuque Wahlert 72, 2. Pella 104, 3. Decorah 150, 4. Dallas Center-Grimes 157, 5. Charles City 177, 6. Bishop Heelan 184, 7. Humboldt 199, 8. North Polk 201, 9. Anamosa 207, 10. Ballard 227, 11. Benton Community 240, 12. Grinnell 258, 13. Denison-Schleswig 280, 14. Glenwood 294, 15. Spencer 324

Individuals -

1. Adrianna Katcher (Center Point-Urbana), 18:23.5; 2. Mary Blanchard (Grinnell), 18:35.7; 3. Gabby Moran (Wahlert), 18:44.7; 4. Sophia Gilbert (Benton), 18:51.0; 5. Bryce Gidel (Humboldt), 18:59.8; 6. Kiki Connell (Charles City), 19:04.4; 7. Grace Herber (Wahlert), 19:05.3; 8. Katie Nimrod (Decorah), 19:06.1; 9. Megan Sievers (Carlisle), 19:11.9; 10. Kaylee Osterberger (Wahlert), 19:13.3

Decorah (150):

7. Nimrod 19:06.1; 24. Jenna Galligan 19:53.6; 32. Shayla Betts 20:11.0; 40. Sarah Mikkelson 20:21.4; 47. Kaitlyn Rooney 20:42.6

Anamosa (207):

19. Emma Duncan 19:46.4; 20. Claire Duncan 19:46.4; 48. Natalie Hersom 20:44.1; 49. Liz Riniker 20:44.2; 71. Dokota Bierer 21:05.6

Benton Community (240):

3. Gilbert 18:51.0; 36. Hailee Ricklefs 20:16.0; 42. Lauren Woeste 20:29.7; 64. Paige King 21:00.0; 95. Katelyn Buscher 21:53.8

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com