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LASTING IMPRESSION

Messengerland runners ready to make a name for themselves

Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Patrick Breitsprecher of Southeast Valley competes during the regular season.

Bryce Gidel is mentally sharp heading into Saturday’s state cross country meet.

The Humboldt sophomore makes her return after a frustrating conclusion to her season a year ago at Lakeside Golf Course.

Class 3A girls are set to race at noon, with the boys to follow at 12:30 p.m. The Wildcats are ranked third behind Dubuque Wahlert and defending state champion Decorah.

Last season, Humboldt finished ninth overall with Gidel placing 22nd. She is joined by Gabby Kent, Isabelle Luu and Lauren Erickson from that squad, with Elizabeth Hildreth, Madeleine Ruzicka and Kallie Nilles rounding out the team.

“In preparation for this Saturday, I’ve been working on my mental game,” Gidel said. “My team and I have put in the miles and the work. But with a big race like state, it is hard to not get worked up.

“We just need to stay relaxed, focused, and confident.”

Gidel enters the meet ranked third behind fellow sophomores Adrianna Katcher of Center Point-Urbana and Mary Blanchard from Grinnell. Katcher won the 3A crown last fall in 18:27 and Blanchard was 10th.

“My goal for every race — not just state — is to run the best time I can,” Gidel said. “It would be great to run a PR and see where that gets me, but honestly, I am just trying to just focus on my own race and not worry about what everyone around me is doing.”

As for the team race, Gidel and the Wildcats are putting that same kind of focus into practice. Luu was 15th overall at state a year ago, and Kent finished 27th.

Kent, a senior, is ranked 13th coming in.

“As a team, we know that the competition is going to be tough, but we are trying to just focus on our race,” Gidel said. “Coach (Dean) Clasen has talked to us a lot about just focusing on running the best we can, because we can’t control what everyone else does.”

The 2A girls race, which takes place at 1 p.m., will include Emmetsburg, Pocahontas Area’s Jill Vonnahme and Annika Duitscher, and Haley Hall of Greene County.

Running for the E-Hawks will be Raven Brown, Gabrielle Janssen, Hailey Foxhoven, Isabella Householder, Raylene Poeppe, Allison Fischer and Mary Nelson. Brown, a sophomore, is rated 16th overall. Emmetsburg is 13th in the rankings.

Last year, the E-Hawks placed 12th overall. Brown was 42rd, Foxhoven 59th, and Janssen 76th.

Monticello, the defending state champion, is ranked second behind Mid-Prairie, who returns state champion Anna Hostetler and her sister, runner-up Marie.

Vonnahme, who is ranked seventh, returns after placing 13th overall for the Indians. Eleven of the Top-15 finishers are back this year.

“I am a lot more confident coming into state this time around,” Vonnahme said. “I had no experience last year with the course as a competitor, so the entire experience was new. I feel better as I’ve learned how to control my start and handle running the hills.

“I was a rookie (to cross country) last year and we had several meets get rained out, so I wasn’t completely sure what to expect. This summer, I ran a few miles every when was was in better shape. I have pushed myself in practices and meets to be at my best for state.”

Vonnahme added that her goals are to “run my best, beat my state time from last year and finish in the Top-10.”

In 1A, Eagle Grove will compete once again, as Kaitlin Sampson, Lea Friedl, Alecia Anderson, Brianna Ellis, Hannah Sampson and Megan Sampson advanced the eighth-ranked Eagles through.

Manson Northwest Webster’s Maddie Moline also earned a spot in the 1A field, which gets under way at 2 p.m.

Central Elkader was the team champion a year ago, and sophomore Kate Crawford of ACGC returns as the individual champion.

Moon, Bauer lead area boys to state

South Central Calhoun’s Spencer Moon already has a school record under his belt.

Now, the third-ranked Titan wants gold.

Moon will compete Saturday in the Class 2A state cross country meet, which hits Lakeside Golf Course at at 1:30 p.m.

Last season, Moon placed fourth overall, clocking a time of 16:29.

Southeast Valley’s Patrick Breitsprecher and Emmetsburg’s Cruz Bowman are also entered into the race after advancing through the qualifier. Breitsprecher was 27th overall in 17:22 at state last fall.

Ogden’s Andrew Stumbo won the race last year, but he has graduated. Reese Smith of Garner-Hayfield/Ventura was a runner-up and is ranked second.

George-Little Rock/Central Lyon’s Gable Sieperda, who was third last year at state, is ranked No. 1 coming in.

The 3A race at 12:30 p.m. will feature Humboldt’s Quinton Orr and Algona’s Trey Engen, with Riley Bauer from North Union looking to repeat as 1A champion beginning at 2:30 p.m. Eagle Grove’s Jon Koester also qualified in 1A.

“My goal for Saturday is to just run a personal-best for the course and see what happens,” Engen said. “The season has definitely prepared me for Saturday because I’ve been on so many different courses against so many great runners, which has pushed me to be a better runner.

“I think the key to my success will be to get out hard off the start.”

Bauer won the 1A race by over 22 seconds last year, finishing in 16:09. Engen competed at state last year and was 79th in 17:35. Orr entered the final rankings at No. 28.

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