Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Moriah Knapp of Algona competes at her home Algona Invitational during the regular season.

Moriah Knapp knows what to expect when she steps on the course at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge on Friday, and the Algona junior is hoping for big things.

The Algona cross country standout finished 51st in her first appearance as a sophomore. She is using that run a year ago to prepar for this week’s Class 3A state meet.

“Since it’s my second year competing at the state meet, I feel that I have more experience,” Knapp said. “I know how the course will be and I know what it’s like at the start. Last year I didn’t get off to the best start and I struggled to move up during the race.

“I’m hoping to place much higher this year.”

Joining Knapp from the Messenger-area in 3A will be Algona classmate Ryan Stundahl and Humboldt’s senior duo of Jackson Chambers and Trevor Jacobson.

The girls race is at 2:30 p.m. on Friday with the boys to follow at approximately 3:15 p.m. inside Kennedy Park. The 3A awards ceremony will be at 4 p.m. on Friday.

Knapp placed fourth at her state-qualifying meet.

“To prepare for this meet, I have been running less mileage this week to get my legs ready and fresh for Friday,” Knapp said. “I am trying to treat the race just like any other race this season and not get too stressed.

“I’m going to run with the race that is within me that day, and I hope that is a personal best.”

Stundahl is making his state debut.

“To (race) at state is all about seeing tougher competition,” Stundahl said. “It means that all of the work and determination has paid off. It’s the ultimate goal for any athlete to go to state.

“I think that treating it like any other race is the best option, and to continue to work on oneself. If I were to treat it differently, nervousness and doubt may come.”

Both Chambers and Jacobson competed as sophomores on Humboldt’s state team in 2019.

“It means a lot to be able to be back at Lakeside for the state meet,” Jacobson said. “As a senior this meet is my last, which still hasn’t hit me how it came so fast.

“I would do anything to re-live the past few years of my life just to experience things like this more than once. I’m going to miss it — all of it.”

Chambers is also excited to return to Fort Dodge.

“To get to state again means a lot and shows how much I’ve grown and improved over the years,” Chambers said. “It also just shows how much effort I did to get to where I am today.”