The Norwalk boys cross country team will make their fifth consecutive state meet appearance on Friday when the Warriors compete at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course in Fort Dodge. The Class 4A State Championship race will start at 11:15 a.m. with the Warriors ranked 10th among 15 qualifiers in the field.

Norwalk placed fourth at last year’s state meet, narrowly missing a top-three trophy finish and the recognition that comes with it on the clubhouse balcony. Despite having a much less experienced squad in 2023, the Warriors have enjoyed another successful season. They placed second in the Little Hawkeye Conference Meet and took third at last week’s competitive State Qualifying Meet at Southeast Polk High School.

Norwalk coach Chad Larson tells KNIA-KRLS Sports that expectations are still very high for the Warriors at this year’s state meet, especially in a 4A field with so much parity. “On any given day, if we run to our performance ability I think we have a good shot of being on the podium,” Larson stated. “That said, if we have a mediocre day we could finish seven through 10, who knows. Obviously we’re going to try to set ourselves up to give a run at the podium.”

To make the top three, Norwalk will need a big day from their senior leader in Noah Buhrow, who is ranked 10th individually in the final 4A rankings. Buhrow is competing in his fourth state meet and aiming for an individual medal in the top 15. Larson says that his number one runner has developed into an exceptional leader.

“He makes sure that he works with the guys that are packing up with him,” Larson said. “He’s communicating, he’s pointing. He’s just really, really solid – a smart runner.”

Junior Tony Anania and sophomore Teegan Kralik will both be competing at state for the second time and have spent time in the individual rankings this season. The rest of the squad expected to race Friday includes sophomore Sam Parker and juniors Grant Wallace, Henry Groos and Corbin Oswald.