Iowa high school girls' cross country 2019: Area runners and teams to watch

Top area returning girls' individuals for the 2019 cross country season, with their state finishes and times from 2018.

Runners

Marie Hostetler, sr., Mid-Prairie — 2A champion, 18:02.

Micah Poellet, jr., Linn-Mar — 4A champion, 18:03.

Emily Staal, sr., Springville-Central City — 2nd in 2A, 18:07.

Adrianna Katcher, sr., Center Point-Urbana — 2nd in 3A, 18:30.

Chloe Skidmore, jr., Linn-Mar — 8th in 4A, 18:57.

Kendall White, jr., Cedar Rapids Prairie — 16th in 4A, 19:23.

Annalee Bartels, jr., Iowa City Regina — 5th in 1A, 19:49.

Rowan Boulter, soph., Iowa City High — 36th in 4A, 19:53.

Kiara Malloy-Salgado, jr., Iowa City West — 37th in 4A, 19:54.

Lauren Gray, jr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy — 41st in 4A, 19:57.

Jalyssa Blazek, soph., Turkey Valley — 6th in 1A, 19:59.

Ashlyn Keeney, soph., Iowa City Liberty — 72nd in 4A, 20:22.

Teams

Top area girls' teams to watch for the 2019 season.

Cedar Rapids Prairie

Coach: Bill Schwarz

State finish in 2018: 8th in Class 4A

Returning state runners (7): Kendall White (jr., 16th), Laurdyn Meyer (jr., 47th), Alyza Koppes (soph., 51st), Carli Reittinger (sr., 65th), Gabby Cortez (soph., 83rd), Grace Long (soph., 99th), Hailey Cooper (jr., 100th).

» Cedar Rapids Prairie cross country: 2 teams, 1 big unit

Decorah

Coach: Cristy Nimrod

State finish in 2018: 13th in Class 3A

Returning state runners (7): Leila Johnson (jr., 48th), Shayla Betts (sr., 56th), Fiona Buresh (jr., 87th), Brooke Courtney (sr., 92th), Meg Sessions (sr., 96th), Annette Leschensky (sr., 102nd), Britta Swanson (sr., 107th).

Linn-Mar

Coach: Emily Burmeister

State finish in 2018: 11th in Class 4A

Returning state runners (7): Micah Poellet (jr., 1st), Chloe Skidmore (jr., 8th), Sarah Murphy (jr., 82nd), Lilly Geelan (jr., 98th), Dimia Burrell (sr., 110th), Emily Schmidt (soph., 111th), Stacy Westman (jr., 113th).

Mid-Prairie

Coach: Mark Hostetler

State finish in 2018: Class 2A champion

Returning state runners (4): Marie Hostetler (sr., 1st), Mitzy Evans (soph., 21st), Ana Fleming (jr., 22nd), Angelina Evans (sr., 85th).

Waukon

Coach: Brett Egan

State finish in 2018: 11th in Class 2A

Returning state runners (6): Katelyn Benzing (sr., 67th), Regan Griffith (jr., 68th), Mady Helgerson (soph., 70th), Bailey Shafer (jr., 82nd), Ellec Armstead (sr., 100th), Maddy Waters (jr., 117th).

Williamsburg

Coach: Nick Nordheim

State finish in 2018: Class 2A runner-up

Returning state runners (6): Grace Schaefer (sr., 18th), Ruth Jennings (soph., 30th), Taylor Winegarden (soph., 40th), Charlotte Wetjen (jr., 44th), Megan Rathjen (sr., 61st), Kendra Eichhorn (soph.), 108th).

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com