Mid-Prairie wins 2A girls’ cross country state title behind 1-2 finish from Marie and Anna Hostetler

FORT DODGE — For sisters Marie Hostetler and Anna Hostetler of Mid-Prairie, the finish has almost become secondary to running together.

The pair finished 1-2 at last season's Class 2A girls' cross country state championships – Anna first, then Marie – so what may become of the encore?

They did it again, only this time the results were flipped.

Sophomore Marie Hostetler posted a 5K-record time of 17:51 and won the individual title at the Class 2A girls' cross country state championships Saturday at Lakeside Golf Course.

'I just wanted her to come with me so bad,' Marie Hostetler said. 'I was just hoping she could hold on. It motivated me a lot the last mile to have her right behind me.'

The 17:51 mark bests the 17:55 by McKenzie Yanek of Pleasant Valley two years ago, the first season that the girls' race was extended to five meters.

Last season, Marie Hostetler trailed her sister by 18 seconds for a runner-up finish. This year's win marked a 24-second improvement.

'I've worked hard, but I don't think I've worked as hard as Anna,' Marie Hostetler said. 'She is my rock and she pushes me every single day.'

It did take a lot of work for Anna Hostetler to reach second place. In early September, doctors diagnosed her with a thyroid condition known as Hashimoto Thyroiditis, an autoimmune disorder that results in inflammation of the thyroid gland.

Her energy waned, and her running time was up to 19:30 as recently as three weeks ago.

'It definitely slowed my times down,' said Anna Hostetler, who is deciding between Iowa and Iowa State for college cross country and track. 'My levels are normal now and I'm just really thankful to God for giving me the last two races. Being able to improve before state has been such a blessing.'

Freshman Ana Fleming placed ninth in 19:43 for Mid-Prairie, which claimed its first girls' state cross country team title with 65 points.

'I'm really proud of how they ended up,' Mid-Prairie Coach Mark Hostetler said. 'It was a special time for my daughters to get 1-2 again.'

Two-time state champion Paige Holub was fourth in 19:03 for Monticello, which finished second in the team standings (72). Cascade (165) was fifth.

In the 2A boys' team race, defending champion Mid-Prairie placed second with 93 points. George-Little Rock/Central Lyon claimed the boys' team title (79) behind individual champion Gable Sieperda (15:18).

Prep cross country

Saturday

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Fort Dodge

(Lakeside Golf Course)

CLASS 2A BOYS

Teams —

1. George-Little Rock/Central Lyon 79, 2. Mid-Prairie 93, 3. Tipton 143, 4. Sioux Center 149, 5. Garner-Hayfield-Ventura 169, 6. South Hamilton 178, 7. Williamsburg 179, 8. South Hardin 224, 9. Aplington-Parkersburg 230, 10. Unity Christian 233, 11. Des Moines Christian 235, 12. Sheldon 240, 13. Monticello 251, 14. Okoboji 272, 15. East Marshall 301

Individuals —

1. Gable Sieperda (GLR), 15:18.6; 2. Reece Smith (GHV), 16:03.9; 3. Joe Anderson (GLR), 16:21.4; 4. Spencer Moon (South Central Calhoun), 16:32.7; 5. Lake LeBahn (Union), 16:37.0; 6. Blake Johnson (GLR), 16:40.0; 7. Logan Peters (South Hamilton), 16:42.8; 8. Ethan Albright (Okoboji), 16:45.5; 9. Peyton Miller (Mid-Prairie), 16:46.2; 10. Floyd Evans (Mid-Prairie), 16:47.8

Mid-Prairie (93):

7. Miller 16:46.2; 8. Evans 16:47.8; 14. Zach Pettit 17:03.5; 29. Quinn Schmidt 17:27.9; 35. Marshal Teets 17:41.6

Tipton (143):

12. Ben Ellis 16:52.6; 16. Caleb Schumaker 17:06.8; 26. Trent Pelzer 17:22.8; 44. Noah Jedlicka 17:53.1; 45. Bryce Deerberg 17:53.2

Williamsburg (179):

9. Lamparek 16:49.8; 18. Grayson Groepper 17:17.5; 31. Noah Elrod 17:32.9; 60. Angelo Santiago 18:13.0; 61. Kaiden Royster 18:16.2

Monticello (251):

21. Aaron Loes 17:19.9; 27. Cole Cruise 17:23.0; 56. David Titman 18:07.3; 68. Jasper Nietert 18:22.7; 79. Ben Barnhart 18:46.7

CLASS 2A GIRLS

Teams —

1. Mid-Prairie 65, 2. Monticello 72, 3. Wc-Kp 103, 4. Crestwood 131, 5. Cascade 165, 6. Williamsburg 195, 7. Iowa City Regina 218, 8. Okoboji 240, 9. Waukon 242, 10. Unity Christian 259, 11. Emmetsburg 261, 12. Danville-New London 283, 13. Shenandoah 289, 14. Aplington-Parkersburg 318, 15. PCM 256

Individuals —

1. Marie Hostetler (Mid-Prairie), 17:51.2; 2. Anna Hostetler (Mid-Prairie), 18:06.0; 3. Ellie Friesen (Crestwood), 18:36.2; 4. Paige Holub (Monticello), 19:03.0; 5. Sophia Jungling (Aplington-Parkersburg), 19:03.1; 6. Madeline Rhomberg (Cascade), 19:03.1; 7. Karley Larson (Underwood), 19:25.6; 8. Rylee Wright (Wc-Kp), 19:31.5; 9. Suzanne Putze (Wc-Kp), 19:39.7; 10. Ana Fleming (Mid-Prairie), 19:43.0

Mid-Prairie (65):

1. M. Hostetler 17:51.2; 2. A. Hostetler 18:06.0; 9. Fleming 19:43.0; 26. Moriah Brase 20:50.5; 27. Kate Cavanaugh 20:51.4

Monticello (72):

4. Holub 19:03.0; 14. Taylor McDonald 20:09.3; 15. Jordyn Patterson 20:27.0; 16. Gabrielle Steiner 20:28.7; 23. Rachel Larabee 20:45.7

Cascade (165):

6. Rhomberg 19:03.3; 13. Madison Kelchen 20:07.8; 24. Emma Ostwinkle 20:46.0; 50. Rachel Rhomberg 21:39.4; 72. Shannon Morris 22:21.1

Williamsburg (195):

19. Megan Rathjen 20:32.3; 20. Grace Schaefer 20:34.3; 47. Charlotte Wetjen 21:36.9; 52. Kaitlin Wille 21:41.4; 57. Emily Jensen 21:56.7

Iowa City Regina (218):

18. Kennedy Scott 20:32.1; 28. Molly Vittetoe 20:52.3; 43. Nourah Abusada 21:30.1; 62. Lauren Gaarde 22:05.8; 67 Natalie Sueppel 22:11.0

Waukon (242):

30. Katelyn Benzing 20:54.5; 49. Regan Griffith 21:38.3; 51. Bailey Shafer 21:39.8; 53. Gabrielle Marti 21:42.3; 59. Megan O'Neill 21:58.3

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