The West Des Moines Dowling boys have made the annual state cross country championships their home away from home.

Friday saw the Maroons claim their third consecutive Class 4A team title and the 11th in program history at Lakeside Golf Course.

Cedar Falls finished second followed by Ankeny.

Ethan Zuber of Ankeny won the individual title ahead of Jaden Merrick from Cedar Falls. Sioux City North’s Natneal Kifle was third followed by Jack Flori of Dowling and AJ Schermerhorn from Ankeny Centennial.

Johnston held off CIML rival West Des Moines Valley for the girls team title with Dallas Center-Grimes third. The individual race saw the Dragons and Tigers flip spots, as Valley’s Addison Dorenkamp was first with Johnston’s Olivia Verde the runner-up.

Keelee Leitzen of Dubuque Hempstead finished third, Nakia Olivierre of Waterloo West was fourth and Drew Beason from Ankeny placed fifth.

Zuber and Merrick were running side-by-side until the stretch run, as Zuber took control over the final portion. The junior held off Kifle, a senior, for the Fort Dodge Invitational title earlier this month.

Flori, who was ninth a season ago, was the top returning finisher. Zuber placed 11th and Schermerhorn was 12th.

In terms of counting scorers, all five of Dowling’s runners finished inside the Top-22, with times between 15:33 and 16:03. Cedar Falls had five in the Top-30.

A two-time state champion, Dorenkamp’s time of 17:41.5 places her fourth on Iowa’s all-time list.

Olivierre was 10th in 3A competing for Iowa Falls-Alden last year as a freshman.

Johnston saw all five counting runners cross home inside the Top-32 of counting runners with three in the Top-25. That was enough to hold off Valley by 15 points.

This was the sixth team title for the Dragons since 2014.