Messenger file photo: Senior Thatcher Oswald will be making his state cross country debut for Manson Northwest Webster.

The best distance runners in the state are headed back to Fort Dodge for the state cross country championships this weekend.

Classes 2A and 3A start the festivities on Friday at 10:30 a.m. at Lakeside Golf Course inside Kennedy Park. On Saturday, 1A and 4A hit the trail starting with the same start times.

Area runners will be highlighted in all but the 4A races, including Manson Northwest Webster’s Thatcher Oswald in the 1A boys event.

Oswald, a senior, placed fourth at a qualifying race earlier this month to earn his spot at state. He will be joined by freshman teammate Kate Hildreth, who competes in the girls race.

While this will be Oswald’s state debut, he is no stranger to the event through the years.

“I have been watching Manson Northwest Webster runners like Lane Moline and my sister, Preslie, run at state since I was in sixth-grade,” Oswald said. “To get a chance to run at state myself is super exciting, especially after all the hard work I put in to get there.”

A hip injury nearly derailed Oswald’s final season in the early going, but he was able to recover and shine down the stretch of the year.

“It was amazing (qualifying),” he said. “I have had a rocky season (because of the injury), so having a great race to secure my spot at state was super relieving.

“The thing I am most excited about is one last chance to run with my competitors from schools in our area. Over the years, I have made friends with the guys that I race the most and I can’t wait to get one last chance to push each other.”

Oswald is No. 23 in the latest 1A individual rankings, as fellow Twin Lakes Conference runners Landon Sporrer, Riley Aragon and Owen Engel join him. The Raiders qualified as a team for state after capturing a title at the qualifier.

Sporrer is ranked 11th, Aragon is 15th and Engel is 26th. All three are seniors for East Sac County. Kenton Ackerman, Oliver Engel and Xander Herner round out the squad.

Emmetsburg’s Ben Cox and Krayton Rutledge also qualified in 1A, as Lincoln Akins of Southeast Valley made it in 2A and Gavin Weber from Algona in 3A.

For the girls, Humboldt’s Avery Fisher, Aubry Fisher and Brynn Malo will compete in 3A while Iris Melody of South Central Calhoun is in 2A. Newell-Fonda qualified as a team in 1A alongside Julia Swift of Bishop Garrigan, Rachel Schany from Emmetsburg, Alexis Cummins of North Union, Tyra Schupbach from West Bend-Mallard and Hildreth.

The 2A girls race is set for 10:30 a.m., 2A boys are at 11:15 a.m., 3A girls are at 2 p.m. and 3A boys at 2:45 p.m. Awards ceremonies will be held at noon (2A) and 3:30 p.m. (3A).

On Saturday, the 4A girls start the day at 10:30 a.m. The 4A boys follow at 11:15 a.m., as 1A girls are at 2 p.m. and 1A boys at 2:45 p.m.

The wheelchair division is set for 2:50 p.m. on Saturday, with award ceremonies at noon (4A) and 3:30 p.m. (1A).

Messenger-area State Cross Country Qualifiers

Boys

Class 3A

Algona — Gavin Weber, sr.

Class 2A

Southeast Valley — Lincoln Akins, sr.

Class 1A

East Sac County — Kenton Ackerman, jr.; Riley Aragon, sr.; Oliver Engel, fr.; Owen Engel, sr.; Xander Herner, sr.; Landon Sporrer, sr.

Emmetsburg — Ben Cox, fr.; Krayton Rutledge, sr.

Manson NW — Thatcher Oswald, sr.

Girls

Class 3A

Humboldt — Avery Fisher, soph.; Aubry Fisher, soph.; Brynn Malo, sr.

Class 2A

South Central Calhoun — Iris Melody, sr.

Class 1A

Newell-Fonda — Mareni Brabec, sr.; Danika Meyer, soph.; Quinn Sievers, fr.; Ellie Sievers, soph.; Elliot Hamilton, fr.; Paige Erickson, fr.; Kyia Copp, fr.

Bishop Garrigan — Julia Swift, soph.

Emmetsburg — Rachel Schany, sr.

Manson NW — Kate Hildreth, fr.

North Union — Alexis Cummins, jr.

West Bend-Mallard — Tyra Schupbach, sr.