Audrey Muckler will end her freshman season on the Newton Girls Cross Country team by competing in tomorrow’s class 3A State Cross Country Meet in Fort Dodge. Muckler qualified for the State Meet last week by running a personal record of 20:06.4 and placing 14th at the State Qualifying meet in Pella. The freshman was the top finisher for the Cardinal girls in every cross country meet this year, with several top ten placements. She says it’s been rewarding watching her times fall as the season progressed.

“I have cut a lot of time from my first meet to the last meet. You can see the difference in all my time drops. I’ve just got a lot tougher.”

Newton Girls Cross Country Coach Rachelle Tipton says Muckler showed her toughness in the late stages of the State Qualifying race.

“She was just inside the top 15 and had grown the gap from the group behind her. I saw that focus in her and I told her you got to go. And she did.”

Muckler and the rest of the class 3A girls field will start the State Championship race at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Kennedy Park in Fort Dodge. Newton’s Cooper Lenz will also run at the 3A State Meet in Fort Dodge Friday.