Three area teams are ranked No. 1 in the preseason cross country rankings, released Thursday by the Iowa Track Coaches Association.
Tipton is the defending Class 2A boys’ champion and welcomes back five runners from last year’s state team, led by junior Caleb Shumaker, who placed fourth individually.
Clear Creek Amana was the 3A boys’ runner-up and has five runners back, led by Jack Sexton (seventh individually).
Williamsburg’s girls were 2A runners-up and bring back a deep, balanced squad. Six Raiders return.
Four Metro boys’ teams are ranked high. Cedar Rapids Prairie, Cedar Rapids Washington and Cedar Rapids Kennedy are fourth, fifth and sixth in 4A; Marion is No. 5 in 3A.
Two area girls return to defend their individual titles — Linn-Mar’s Micah Poellet (4A) and Mid-Prairie’s Marie Hostetler (2A).
CLASS 4A GIRLS
1. Johnston
2. Southeast Polk
3. Waukee
4. West Des Moies Valley
5. Dubuque Senior
6. Dubuque Hempstead
7. Cedar Rapids Prairie
8. Urbandale
9. Linn-Mar
10. Des Moines Roosevelt
11. Ankeny Centennial
12. Iowa City West
13. Pleasant Valley
14. Cedar Rapids Kennedy
15. West Des Moines Dowling
CLASS 4A BOYS
1. West Des Moines Dowling
2. Dubuque Hempstead
3. Pleasant Valley
4. Cedar Rapids Prairie
5. Cedar Rapids Washington
6. Cedar Rapids Kennedy
7. Cedar Falls
8. Johnston
9. Southeast Polk
10. Ames
11. Iowa City West
12. West Des Moines Valley
13. Ankeny Centennial
14. Waukee
15. Urbandale
CLASS 3A GIRLS
1. Dubuque Wahlert
2. Dallas Center-Grimes
3. Ballard
4. Glenwood
5. Pella
6. Sioux City Heelan
7. Atlantic
8. Harlan
9. Grinnell
10. Solon
11. North Polk
12. Charles City
13. Decorah
14. Norwalk
15. Spencer
CLASS 3A BOYS
1. Clear Creek Amana
2. Gilbert
3. Carlisle
4. Pella
5. Marion
6. Dallas Center-Grimes
7. Decorah
8. Dubuque Wahlert
9. Humboldt
10. MOC-Floyd Valley
11. Glenwood
12. Atlantic
13. Grinnell
14. Sergeant Bluff-Luton
15. Mount Vernon-Lisbon
CLASS 2A GIRLS
1. Williamsburg
2. WC-KP
3. Mid-Prairie
4. Jesup
5. Panorama
6. Danville-New London
7. Starmont
8. Waukon
9. Unity Christian
10. Dike-New Hartford
11. Albia
12. Cherokee
13. Guthrie Center ACGC
14. Shenandoah
15. Crestwood
CLASS 2A BOYS
1. Tipton
2. Monticello
3. South Hardin
4. Albia
5. Davis County
6. Des Moines Christian
7. Camanche
8. Okoboji
9. Grundy Center/Gladbrook-Reinbeck
10. GLR-Central Lyon
11. Williamsburg
12. Unity Christian
13. Red Oak
14. Bellevue
15. Western Christian
CLASS 1A GIRLS
1. Logan-Magnolia
2. Iowa City Regina
3. Hudson
4. Lansing Kee
5. Aplington-Parkersburg
6. Cascade
7. Denver
8. Pekin
9. Earlham
10. Bellevue Marquette
11. North Linn
12. East Marshall
13. South Winneshiek
14. Tri-Center
15. Ridge View
CLASS 1A BOYS
1. Madrid
2. Calamus-Wheatland
3. Maquoketa Valley
4. Earlham
5. Nodaway Valley
6. South Winneshiek
7. Council Bluffs St. Albert
8. Pekin
9. Conrad BCLUW
10. Woodward Academy
11. Mason City Newman
12. Denver
13. Cascade
14. Ogden
15. Trinity Christian
l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com