Liberty’s Keegan Decker, Kennedy’s Slader Buckheister run 3-4 in Class 4A boys’ state cross country race

FORT DODGE — Keegan Decker had a plan. A gutsy plan.

“I was going to try to get out and run with (the leaders) as long as I could, and see what happened,” the sophomore from Iowa City Liberty said.

“I stayed with them longer than I thought I could.”

Decker remained in title contention for 2 1/2 miles, then finished third in the Class 4A boys’ race at the state cross country meet Friday afternoon at Lakeside Golf Course.

“The crowd fueled me, and I was able to hang on,” Decker said. “My expectations were 15:20-ish and maybe top five.”

Recommended Reading

Photos: 2024 Iowa high school state cross country 3A and 4A races

Instead, it was 15:10 and third.

Last year’s champion, Ethan Zuber of Ankeny repeated in 15:01. Jaden Merrick of Cedar Falls was the runner-up for the second straight year, in 15:08.

Zuber is a senior, but the future of Iowa high school boys’ distance running is in extremely capable hands.

Merrick is a junior. So are Western Dubuque’s Quentin Nauman and Pella’s Canaan Dunham, who ran 14:59 and 15:16 in the 3A race Friday morning.

Decker is a sophomore. Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s Slader Buckheister and Adam Gray (fourth and 12th in 4A) are juniors.

And Kuma Gutema of Sioux City North ran the fastest freshman time in state history, placing seventh in 15:33.

“It’s really building up,” Decker said. “It’s crazy how much faster it has gotten. Now, a lot of guys are capable of running close to 15-flat.”

Buckheister was running seventh with a half-mile to go before moving up.

“The first 2 miles, I felt so good,” he said. “It was the fastest I’ve ever been, and I wasn’t even tired.

“I thought if I could chase down (Des Moines Roosevelt’s Owen) Marett, I could get to the final 400 with a chance to finish in the top five. Then, adrenaline just kicked in.”

  Buy Photo

Cedar Falls dethroned three-time defending champion West Des Moines Dowling for the 4A boys’ team title. The Tigers compiled 73 points, the Maroons 91.

Cedar Rapids Prairie was third with 122 points.

“Pack-running did it for us,” Prairie’s Bennett Allred said after finishing a team-best 19th. “That’s been the goal all year, and it worked for us.”

Kyle Johnson and Nick Lee were 22nd and 25th.

Iowa City High finished sixth; Liberty was ninth. Moustafa Tiea of Iowa City West was ninth individually.

Pleasant Valley was the girls’ champion, placing four runners in the top 18 and scoring 63 points. Last year’s champion, Johnston was second with 88. Dubuque Senior (133) was third.

Abigail Burns of eighth-place City High was the top area girl. She was 24th.

  Buy Photo

2024 Iowa state cross county championships

At Lakeside Golf Course, Fort Dodge

Class 4A Iowa high school girls’ state cross country results

TEAMS

1. Pleasant Valley 63

2. Johnston 88

3. Dubuque Senior 133

4. Ankeny Centennial 145

5. Dallas Center-Grimes 156

6. Cedar Falls 180

7. Ankeny 195

8. Iowa City High 198

9. Waukee Northwest 198

10. Dubuque Hempstead 220

11. Waukee 247

12. West Des Moines Valley 250

13. Davenport Central 298

14. Ames 317

15. Des Moines Roosevelt 345

INDIVIDUALS

1. Piper Messerly (DCG), 17:58

2. Anika Mohrhauser (Centennial), 18:02

3. Charlee Gall (Cedar Falls), 18:11

4. Nakia Ollivierre (Waterloo West), 18:18

5. Evie Henneberry (Waterloo West), 18:20

6. Grace Boleyn (PV), 18:23

7. Alyx Woodley (Johnston), 18:24

8. Ani Wedemeyer (PV), 18:24

9. Claire Hoyer (Dbq Senior), 18:24

10. Emma Chesterman (Dbq Senior), 18:26

11. Maddie Millage (PV), 18:26

12. Payton Crabb (Johnston), 18:26

13. Haley Hveem (Centennial), 18:28

14. Drew Beason (Ankeny), 18:30

15. Ele Wharton (Johnston), 18:34

16. Dylan Moeller (Dav Central), 18:39

17. Ella Jones (Northwest), 18:41

18. Brynn Edgin (PV), 18:43

19. Joley Sullivan (Dav Central), 18:43

20. Michelle McConkey (Waukee), 18:49

Class 4A Iowa high school boys’ state cross country results

TEAMS

1. Cedar Falls 73

2. West Des Moines Dowling 91

3. Cedar Rapids Prairie 122

4. Dallas Center-Grimes 167

5. Norwalk 191

6. Iowa City High 198

7. Waukee Northwest 206

8. Ankeny 218

9. Iowa City Liberty 225

10. Bettendorf 236

11. Ames 255

12. Waukee 274

13. Marshalltown 275

14. Johnston 291

15. Indianola 292

INDIVIDUALS

1. Ethan Zuber (Ankeny), 15:01

2. Jaden Merrick (Cedar Falls), 15:08

3. Keegan Decker (Liberty), 15:10

4. Slader Buckheister (Cedar Rapids Kennedy), 15:29

5. Owen Marett (Des Moines Roosevelt), 15:32

6. Jack Crossland (Johnston), 15:33

7. Kuma Gutema (Sioux City North), 15:33

8. Jack Flori (Dowling), 15:34

9. Moustafa Tiea (Iowa City West), 15:38

10. Dominic Williams (Cedar Falls), 15:39

11. A.J. Willey (Bettendorf), 15:39

12. Adam Gray (C.R. Kennedy), 15:41

13. Owen Wolfe (Dowling), 15:41

14. Teegan Kralik (Norwalk), 15:45

15. John Moellers (Marshalltown), 15:50

16. Connor Martin (Cedar Falls), 15:51

17. Charlie Deick (Dowling), 15:52

18. Reed Robbins (Indianola), 15:55

19. Bennett Allred (Prairie), 15:56

20. Micah Fern (Dubuque Hempstead), 15:58

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com