Iowa high school boys’ cross country 2024: Top Gazette-area teams and runners to watch

A watch list of top Gazette-area teams and individuals for the 2024 Iowa high school boys’ cross country season.

Area teams to watch

CEDAR RAPIDS KENNEDY

2023 state finish: 4th in Class 4A

Returning state qualifiers (4): Adam Gray, jr., 6th; Slader Buckheister, jr., 44th; Reuben Schlaak, sr., 101st; Lincoln McMahan, jr., 104th.

IOWA CITY LIBERTY

2023 state finish: 6th in Class 4A

Returning state qualifiers (5): Keegan Decker, soph., 17th; Noah Gregoire, sr. 38th; Jacob Madsen, sr., 52nd; Hayden Johnsen, sr., 119th; Lars Hildebrand, soph., 123rd

IOWA CITY REGINA

2023 state finish: 6th in Class 1A

Returning state qualifiers (3): Howie O’Rourke, jr., 56th; Evan White, jr., 65th; Samuel Welter, sr., 67th

MID-PRAIRIE

2023 state finish: 10th in Class 2A

Returning state qualifiers (5): Emmett Swartzentruber, sr., 1st; Preston Yutzy, sr., 39th; Jayse Yoder, sr., 86th; Maxon Swartzentruber, soph., 95th; Jesse Stultz, jr., 100th

MOUNT VERNON-LISBON

2023 state finish: 8th in Class 3A

Returning state qualifiers (6): Grady Olberding, sr., 14th; Dawson Scheil, jr., 31st; Seamus O’Connor, sr., 93rd; Wesley Sadler, sr., 100th; Sawyer Feldman, jr., 104th; Chasen Caskey, soph., 131st

WAUKON

2023 state finish: 4th in Class 2A

Returning state qualifiers (4): Isaac Reisinger, sr., 34th; Brandon Leppert, jr., 45th; Caleb Helgerson, sr., 81st; Colton O’Neill, jr., 97th

Top returning area individuals

(Based on 2023 state time)

Adam Gray, jr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy — 6th in Class 4A, 15:39

Emmett Swartzentruber, sr., Mid-Prairie — Class 2A champion, 15:51

Quentin Nauman, jr., Western Dubuque — 6th in Class 3A, 15:52

Keegan Decker, soph., Iowa City Liberty — 17th in Class 4A, 15:54

Grady Olberding, sr., Mount Vernon-Lisbon — 14th in Class 3A, 16:10

Alex Torres, jr., Vinton-Shellsburg — 6th in Class 2A, 16:12.

Bennett Allred, sr., Cedar Rapids Prairie — 32nd in Class 4A, 16:12

Noah Gregoire, sr., Iowa City Liberty — 38th in Class 4A, 16:15

Matthew Schaul, sr., Maquoketa Valley — 7th in Class 1A, 16:16

Slader Buckheister, jr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy — 44th in Class 4A, 16:21

Moustafa Tiea, sr., Iowa City West — 47th in Class 4A, 16:24

Gage Heyne, sr., English Valleys — 9th in Class 1A, 16:25

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com