Several area cross country teams and athletes have qualified for the 2020 state meet. Hear from all of the athletes below on the KNIA/KRLS Radio Sports Page at 6 p.m. this evening on KNIA/KRLS.
The No. 2 Pella boys won the 3A district meet at the Pella Sports Park, with Tony Schmitz placing 1st in the 3A field. This is the 15th time in 16 years the Dutch have been to Fort Dodge, and 22nd trip all time.
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The No. 11 Lady Dutch knocked off two teams in the top 20 to place 2nd overall behind No. 1 in 3A Ballard. This is the 15th consecutive season Pella’s girls have been at Fort Dodge.
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Knoxville’s Norah Pearson, ranked 15th in 3A, was 4th in a field at Pella with the top three individual runners in 3A to earn her 2nd straight trip to Fort Dodge. The Panthers’ Seth Walraven is state bound after earning All-District honors and a top 15 finish in the boys race.
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The No. 10 Indianola Cross Country girls are state bound for the 2nd consecutive season. They placed 3rd in the 4A district meet to advance to Fort Dodge. CJ Johnson of Indianola placed 7th and also qualified to run at state.
Class 3A and 4A runners will compete at Fort Dodge on Friday, October 30th. The 4A races start at 10:30 a.m., and the 3A at 3:30 p.m.
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Rylee Dunkin of Twin Cedars, No. 7 overall in 1A, placed 1st overall as an individual at the 1A state qualifying cross country meet at Pekin. This is the 2nd consecutive season Dunkin has earned a state bid after earning All-State honors in 2019 (picture above from that race).
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J’Lyn Knutson of Melcher-Dallas is a four-time state cross country qualifier. The senior placed 5th among individuals at the Mt. Ayr district meet.
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PCM had two girls qualify for the 2020 state cross country meet in Class 2A. Paige Steenhoek is now a two-time qualifier, and teammate Tiffani Koonce will join her at Fort Dodge after the pair placed 11th and 13th at Williamsburg.
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Kaden Van Wyngarden of Pella Christian is a state cross country qualifier at the Class 2A site in Williamsburg after a 13th place finish among individuals.
The Class 1A and 2A State Cross Country meet is on Saturday, October 31st in Fort Dodge. Racing begins at 10:30 for the Class 2A teams and 3:30 for 1A.