Iowa City Liberty’s Keegan Decker turns the MVC’s lead duo into a trio

CEDAR RAPIDS — Keegan Decker hadn’t planned on it, but he took a 15-minute stroll with greatness Thursday afternoon.

“It’s just kind of how it played out,” the sophomore from Iowa City Liberty said after a third-place finish in the boys’ race at the Mississippi Valley Conference cross country championships at Seminole Valley Park. “I made it happen.”

That anticipated duel between Cedar Falls’ Jaden Merrick and Western Dubuque’s Quentin Nauman? Decker expanded it into a trio.

Merrick won it, in 14 minutes, 55 seconds. Nauman and Decker finished in 15:04 and 15:05.

“It feels great,” Decker said. “I had no expectations to stick with them. A mile into the race, I thought, ‘Oh, this feels pretty good. I’ll stick with these guys for a while.’”

Merrick is the second-ranked guy in Class 4A; Nauman is No. 1 in 3A.

Thursday marked the fourth time this season that Merrick and Nauman went head-to-head.

“It’s probably fitting that it’s 2-2,” said Nauman, who was mildly under the weather.

“It seems like everybody in the world is getting colds. I can’t breathe out of my nose. I’m not 100 percent, but I can’t complain, and I can’t take anything away from (Merrick).

“It was a good race; I’m OK with second today.”

Merrick’s title helped Cedar Falls prevail in a tight three-team battle. The Tigers compiled 83 points to edge Iowa City High (84) and Cedar Rapids Prairie (89).

The top six finishers in the boys’ race consisted of five juniors and Decker.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s Slader Buckheister and Adam Gray were 4-5; Linus McRoberts led City High’s bid, finishing sixth.

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Dubuque Senior was the class of the girls’ field; all of the Rams’ five scorers finished in the top 14.

City High was second with 57 points, followed by Cedar Falls (95) and Dubuque Hempstead (98).

Cedar Falls freshman Charlee Gall pulled away in the second half of the race and won in 18:07. Nakia Ollivierre of Waterloo West was the runner-up in 18:24.

City’s Abigail Burns was fourth.

Mississippi Valley Conference cross country: Girls results

TEAMS

1. Dubuque Senior 34, 2. Iowa City High 57, 3. Cedar Falls 95, 4. Dubuque Hempstead 98, 5. Linn-Mar 147, 6. Iowa City Liberty 180, 7. C.R. Prairie 200, 8. Dubuque Wahlert 210, 9. Iowa City West 255, 10. C.R. Xavier 290, 11. C.R. Kennedy 316, 12. Western Dubuque 319, 13. C.R. Washington 371, 14. C.R. Jefferson 412.

INDIVIDUALS

1. Charlee Gall (CF), 18:07; 2. Nakia Ollivierre (Waterloo West), 18:24; 3. Emma Chesterman (DS), 18:25; 4. Abigail Burns (ICH), 18:28; 5. Evie Henneberry (DH), 18:40; 6. Claire Hoyer (DS), 18:44; 7. Emily Gorton (DS), 18:49; 8. Hailey Kozloski (LM), 18:58; 9. Nevaeh Kessler (DS), 19:00; 10. Grace Hammann (ICH), 19:09.

Mississippi Valley Conference cross country: Boys results

TEAMS

1. Cedar Falls 83, 2. Iowa City High 84, 3. C.R. Prairie 89, 4. C.R. Kennedy 129, 5. Dubuque Senior 149, 6. Iowa City Liberty 151, 7. Iowa City West 181, 8. Linn-Mar 188, 9. Dubuque Hempstead 207, 10. Western Dubuque 271, 11. Dubuque Wahlert 332, 12. Waterloo West 342, 13. C.R. Xavier 346, 14. C.R. Jefferson 439, 15. C.R. Washington 441.

INDIVIDUALS

1. Jaden Merrick (CF), 14:55; 2. Quentin Nauman (WDbq), 15:04; 3. Keegan Decker (ICL), 15:05; 4. Slader Buckheister (CRK), 15:20; 5. Adam Gray (CRK), 15:26; 6. Linus McRoberts (ICH), 15:30; 7. Moustafa Tiea (ICW), 15:31; 8. Noah Gregoire (ICL), 15:32; 9. Cole Carrizales (CRP), 15:36; 10. Ethan Cheney (LM), 15:40.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com