(KMAland) -- The Martin Blog Fall Sports Preview series continues with a look at Western Iowa Conference Cross Country.
PREVIOUS FALL SPORTS PREVIEWS
7/24: Class 2A District 8 Football
7/25: Rolling Valley Conference Volleyball
7/26: Class 4A District 1 Football
7/27: Class 2A District 7 Football
7/28: Corner Conference Cross Country
7/29: Hawkeye Ten Conference Cross Country
2023 WESTERN IOWA CONFERENCE CROSS COUNTRY PREVIEW
The Logan-Magnolia girls won another conference championship to run their streak to six in a row while the IKM-Manning boys ended the two-year reign for Missouri Valley. Here’s how the standings lined up:
GIRLS
1. Logan-Magnolia Panthers (33)
2. IKM-Manning Wolves (61)
3. Treynor Cardinals (74)
4. AHSTW Vikings (89)
5. Riverside Bulldogs (103)
6. Tri-Center Trojans (130)
Audubon Wheelers (NTS)
Missouri Valley Big Reds (NTS)
Underwood Eagles (NTS)
BOYS
1. IKM-Manning Wolves (35)
2. Riverside Bulldogs (45)
3. Tri-Center Trojans (70)
4. Treynor Cardinals (113)
5. Missouri Valley Big Reds (121)
6. Logan-Magnolia Panthers (145)
7. Underwood Eagles (175)
AHSTW Vikings (NTS)
Audubon Wheelers (NTS)
COACHES
•AHSTW: Jackson Renberg
•Audubon: Pete Dammel
•IKM-Manning: Robert Cast
•Logan-Magnolia: Kelli Kersten
•Missouri Valley: Scott Cihacek
•Riverside: Alex Oliver
•Treynor: Chaley Hempel
•Tri-Center: Lexi Cochran
•Underwood: Andy Irwin (NEW)
**Note: Several schools do not list a cross country coach (or any coaches) on Bound for 2023, so I just kept them the same as last year with fingers crossed it is the same.
GIRLS: WHO’S GONE?
From last year’s top 10, Logan-Magnolia’s Mya Moss is the only graduated runner. The senior stepped up and put down a terrific time to help the Panthers to another conference championship. Two other seniors — Greylan Hornbeck (12th) and Jada Cohn (20th) — also placed in the top 20 for the Panthers. IKM-Manning’s Kaitlynn Spoelstra is the only other top 20 runner that was a senior last year, finishing in 17th.
Others that have graduated:
22. Kasey Lang, Treynor
23. Julianna Stribe, IKM-Manning
27. Ellie Peterson, AHSTW
34. Jaden Franke, Tri-Center
35. Cali Petersen, AHSTW
36. Mira Dreyer, Treynor
40. Noble Stormy, Tri-Center
43. Maddie Snyder, IKM-Manning
45. Madison Burr, Audubon
BOYS: WHO’S GONE?
The conference champion and two others from the top six are gone from the league. IKM-Manning’s Caden Keller closed out his career with a conference championship last season while Treynor’s John Ross Biederman and Mason Yochum took third and fifth, respectively. Four others — IKM-Manning’s Reed Hinners (7th) and Nathan Johnson (10th), Tri-Center’s Sean McGee (8th) and Riverside’s Eric Duhachek (9th) — are also gone from the top 10. However, after 10th, there is only one other that has graduated from the top 30 (Layne Brenden of Logan-Magnolia, who came in 27th).
Others that have graduated:
31. Caleb Stevens, Riverside
32. Miles Nichols, Treynor
53. Matt Stowe, Tri-Center
59. James Newton, Logan-Magnolia
61. Luke Stolz, Underwood
62. Jonny Diggins, Logan-Magnolia
GIRLS: RETURNING TOP 20
The first number is their ranking among returnees while the number in parentheses is where they finished at last year’s WIC meet. If the conference meet time was not stated in the blurb it will be put in parentheses at the end.
1. (1) Allysen Johnsen, SO, Logan-Magnolia — Last year as a freshman, Johnsen ran to the conference championship, helping the Panthers to a team title (21:04.22).
2. (3) Lilly Irwin, SR, Underwood — A fantastic season for Irwin in distance running saw her take a third-place finish with a time of 22:01.64.
3. (4) Stefi Beisswenger, JR, Audubon — Yet another youngster that had a strong finish in a loaded WIC last year. Beisswenger ran a 22:14.15 in fourth place.
4. (5) Alyssa Kulesa, SR, Treynor — The Treynor senior was a fifth-place finisher with a time of 22:19.25.
5. (6) Haedyn Hall, JR, Logan-Magnolia — Hall makes for another key returnee for the defending conference champions. She claimed a sixth-place finish in 22:23.37.
6. (7) Rylie Knop, SR, AHSTW — Another senior returning from last year’s top 10, Knop went 22:33.64 in seventh.
7. (8) Taylor Beckendorf, JR, IKM-Manning — Beckendorf is the top returning runner for the Wolves, as she placed eighth with a 22:40.15 in 2022’s WIC race.
8. (9) Ava Paulsen, SO, AHSTW — AHSTW joins the mix with two of the top eight returning runners. Paulsen ended up ninth with a 22:45.39.
9. (10) Emily Albertsen, JR, IKM-Manning — Logan-Magnolia, AHSTW and now IKM-Manning all have two of the top nine returnees. Albertsen placed 10th with a 23:08.55.
10. (11) Bailey Richardson, SO, Riverside — Richardson rounds out the top 10 returnees from last year’s WIC race. She placed 11th last year with a time of 23:20.13.
The rest of the top 20:
11. (13) Lilly Yochum, SO, Treynor (23:28.20)
12. (14) Reagan Garrison, JR, IKM-Manning (23:50.45)
13. (15) Quincey Schneckloth, JR, Tri-Center (24:01.03)
14. (16) Lydia Erickson, SR, Riverside (24:16.81)
15. (18) Madison Sporrer, JR, Logan-Magnolia (24:29.69) — A little break-in here to note that Sporrer was the likely favorite to win the conference race last year, but she was just overcoming an illness. She was the conference’s runner-up (behind her senior sister) in 2021.
16. (19) Andyn White, JR, Treynor (24:43.71)
17. (21) Bella Boruff, SR, Missouri Valley (25:07.51)
18. (24) Kaylee Lopez, SO, Tri-Center (25:22.46)
19. (25) Georgia Paulson, SR, Underwood (25:25.91)
20. (26) Julia Thomas, SO, Underwood (25:30.58)
BOYS: RETURNING TOP 20
The first number is their ranking among returnees while the number in parentheses is where they finished at last year’s WIC meet. If the conference meet time was not stated in the blurb it will be put in parentheses at the end.
1. (2) Mason Mccready, SR, Riverside — The top-returning runner in the league comes from Riverside, as McCready edged out his teammate for the second place spot in a time of 18:47.08.
2. (4) Brody Henderson, SO, Riverside — The top-returning sophomore in the conference was right on the heels of McCready at the conference race, posting a time of 18:51.59.
3. (6) Lane Sams, SR, IKM-Manning — Sams was a major piece of the IKM-Manning success last season, finishing in sixth with a run of 19:04.54.
4. (11) Brennan Boden, JR, Tri-Center — With much of the top 10 graduating, that opens a big door for others to plow through. Boden could be a name to watch this season, as he finished in 11th with a 19:39.13.
5. (12) Jacob Hoden, SR, Missouri Valley — Missouri Valley was unseated as conference team champion last year, and Hoden hopes to restore things while leading the Big Reds. He was 12th in 19:40.23 last season.
6. (13) Nic Dahir, SO, Tri-Center — Tri-Center joins Riverside with two of the top six returnees from last year’s WIC meet. Dahir ran a 19:40.39.
7. (14) Dawson Henderson, SO, Riverside — Another Henderson and another Riverside runner among the top seven returnees. (19:53.78)
8. (15) Abe Polzien, JR, IKM-Manning — The last of the runners that finished in the top 15 that will be back, Polzien ran a 19:57.45 in providing depth for the conference champs.
9. (16) Caleb Hatch, SR, AHSTW — Hatch ran in 16th last year and finished with a time of 20:03.28.
10. (17) Wyatt Hawkins, JR, Logan-Magnolia — And the top 10 rounds out with a Logan-Magnolia junior. Hawkins went 20:03.69 at the WIC meet.
The rest of the top 20:
11. (18) Connor Brummett, SO, Underwood (20:06.16)
12. (19) Jack Carley, SR, Treynor (20:16.53)
13. (20) Camden Morris, SO, IKM-Manning (20:19.40)
14. (21) Teegan Schechinger, SR, Riverside (20:21.13)
15. (22) Christian Dahir, SR, Tri-Center (20:21.18)
16. (23) Kyle McDonald, JR, Tri-Center (20:36.36)
17. (24) Kasche Huehn, JR, IKM-Manning (20:44.10)
18. (25) Adam Meadows, JR, Missouri Valley (20:51.78)
19. (26) Caden Geraghty, JR, AHSTW (20:54.89)
20. (28) Isaac Blankman, SO, IKM-Manning (21:02.27)
GIRLS: POSTSEASON HIGHLIGHTS
AHSTW: Rylie Knop and Ava Paulsen were both top-20 runners at their Class 1A SQM last year, finishing in 17th and 19th, respectively.
Audubon: Audubon brings back a state qualifier in Stefi Beisswenger, who ended up in 23rd in the Class 1A race.
IKM-Manning: The boys weren’t the only team from IKM-Manning picking ‘em up and putting ‘em up down last fall. The Wolves ended up qualifying for state and finishing in 11th in Class 1A with 254 points. Taylor Beckendorf had the top finish for the Wolves at state in 69th. Reagan Garrison was next in 73rd. Emily Albertsen is another returnee from the state meet for the Wolves.
Logan-Magnolia: The Logan-Magnolia girls entered the state meet with another realistic shot at winning a state championship. They ended up with the third-best point total, but they had to settle for a fourth-place finish due to tiebreak measures. Madison Sporrer had the top finish for the Panthers in 16th place. Sophomore Allyson Johnsen also took a strong 38th-place finish to close out her freshman experience. Haedyn Hall and Cora Killpack are also returning from their state team.
Missouri Valley: Missouri Valley’s Bella Boruff had her team’s top finish at the SQM in 37th.
Riverside: Riverside’s Carly Henderson and Bailey Richardson qualified for the state meet and finished in 37th and 60th, respectively.
Treynor: Alyssa Kulesa returns after a strong finish to her cross country season last year. That strong finish placed her in Fort Dodge, where she came in 37th in the 2A state race.
Tri-Center: Quincy Schneckloth, who qualified for state as a freshman, narrowly missed qualifying as a sophomore and placed 11th at the SQM. Sophomores Kaylee Lopez and Soleil McCool also had solid runs at the SQM in 31st and 38th, respectively.
Underwood: Lilly Irwin finished out her junior season in Fort Dodge at the state meet. She placed 78th in Class 2A.
BOYS: POSTSEASON NOTES
AHSTW: Senior Caleb Hatch will be one to watch for the Vikings. He ended up running pretty well at the SQM last year and finishing in 29th.
Audubon: Audubon’s two runners at last year’s conference and district meet were underclassmen in Mason Steckler (57th at SQM) and Eli Deist (63rd).
IKM-Manning: IKM-Manning claimed a top-five finish at the Class 1A state meet, totaling 181 points and finishing in that No. 5 spot. Lane Sams is the top-returning runner from state, as he finished in 62nd. Kasche Huehn, Abe Polzien and Camden Morris are other returnees from that state team.
Logan-Magnolia: Junior Wyatt Hawkins had a top-20 finish at the SQM for the Panthers, posting a 19th-place finish. Look for senior Lyrick Stueve to also have an impact after running at last year’s SQM.
Missouri Valley: The Big Reds will bring back juniors Adam Meadows and Aidan Rangel as their top finishers at the SQM. They ended up running 27th and 28th, respectively. Sophomore Keaton Foster, senior Jackson Harrison and junior Theron Felner are others that received experience at the SQM.
Riverside: Mason McCready is back for the Bulldogs (as mentioned above) after finishing in 58th at last year’s 1A state meet.
Treynor: Treynor loses a state qualifier in Mason Yochum and will return Jack Carley, who placed in 43rd at the 2A SQM last year. Jeyden Farr is another that picked up valuable experience last year as a freshman and ran at the SQM.
Tri-Center: The Trojans won’t have a state qualifier returning, but junior Brennan Boden didn’t miss by much in 13th place at the SQM. Sophomore Nic Dahir and senior Christian Dahir also ran well in 20th and 25th, respectively. Both Kyle McDonald and Simeon Weers will be back, too, after placing in the top 36 at the meet.
Underwood: This was a very young Underwood team last year, and sophomore Connor Brummett was the top SQM runner in 44th place.
GIRLS & BOYS: WHO’S COMING IN?
Madeline Knispel of Treynor and Ally Adams of Underwood have had a great rivalry over the last couple years, including at last year's WIC meet. Knispel ran a 13:31.78 and Adams went 13:41.06 to finish 1-2. They will take that rivalry to high school now. AHSTW's Bella Lamp ran third, and I know Anne Miller of Treynor was fourth. Fifth place came from Logan-Magnolia.
I also know that the boy's race last year went Logan-Magnolia, Underwood, Logan-Magnolia, Missouri Valley and Riverside. I'm not clear on which of those runners were in 7th and which were in 8th, though. If anyone can help out shoot me something on social media or email dmartin@kmamail.com.
GIRLS: ONE FINAL TAKE
It would be a big shock if Logan-Magnolia did not continue this incredible run (all pun intended) that they are on. They have two of the top five and three of the top 15 returning runners, and I don’t think they’re hurting for additional runners to replace last year’s seniors. IKM-Manning has the makings of a team that can contend with three of the top 12 returning, but anything after that is a guess. Treynor, Riverside and AHSTW are others that could be worth a watch.
BOYS: ONE FINAL TAKE
This is shaping up to be a heck of a race between the defending champion IKM-Manning, Tri-Center and Riverside. Missouri Valley could also be a potential championship contender. If I had to make a pick right now, I would lean Riverside. The Bulldogs, though, will need to make sure there’s a bit less space between McCready, the Hendersons, Teegan Schechinger and their next scoring runner.
Send any questions, comments and/or concerns to dmartin@kmamail.com.
