Plenty of area teams will be on showcase tonight at the 2020 Hillcrest Academy Early Bird cross country meet. This is the season opener for the Ravens. Highlights from 2019 for Hillcrest included Leah Bontrager finishing third at the Superconference championship meet, sixth at the state qualifier meet and 67th at state. In Fort Dodge she had a 54 second improvement on her time from her freshman season and a five place improvement in the standings. This year she is joined by senior teammates Kennedy Roth and Madeline Fox, juniors Julia Boller and Chloe Staley, and sophomores Hannah Chalupa and Taryn Leichty. On the roster for the Raven boys this year are seniors Johnny Diaz, Will Kolck and Colby Harris to go along with juniors Jorge Canchola and Collin Miller.
This is also the season opener for the Washington Demons. The Washington boys were Southeast Conference runners-up a season ago led by Evan Horak as runner-up in his senior season and Lance Sobaski third as a sophomore. The Washington boys were seventh at the Solon state qualifier led by Sobaski in 13th as he qualified for state in Fort Dodge. At the state meet he took 95th. For the Washington girls they were third at the conference meet led by Hannah Rees in 14th and Grace Voss 15th. In Solon at the state qualifier, the Demons were 11th led by Voss in 49th. Sobaski, Rees and Voss all return this year for Washington along with 23 other runners for the Demons between the boys and girls teams.
Tonight is the opener for the Highland Huskies. Last season the Highland girls were fourth at the Superconference meet led by Madison Thomann in fourth place. The Highland boys were 14th led by Noah Oriano in 68th. At the state qualifier meet the Huskies were 10th on the girls side again led by Thomann who qualified for state with a sixth place finish. The Highland boys were 23rd in the team standings paced by Oriano in 109th. At state, Thomann took 63rd. She and three other Huskies from the starting five return this year. On the boys side Highland brings back their top three runners from last year’s team.
This will also serve as the season opener for the Lone Tree boys and girls. The Lion boys were 11th at the Superconference meet last year led by Alberto Cortes in 32nd. Top finish for the Lady Lions was from Macie Bopp in sixth. Cortes led the Lions at the state qualifier meet taking 70th place. On the girls side Bopp was best at 26th place. Lone Tree returns all of their scoring boys runners from last year’s state qualifier meet.
Winfield-Mt. Union will be on the course for the first time in 2020 tonight. The Wolves were fifth at the Superconference meet on the boys side led by Brody Barton in 12th place. The WMU girls had Avery Maeder place 21st to lead the way. At the state qualifier, the Wolves boys finished ninth with Brody Barton making state in 14th place. In Fort Dodge Barton finished 60th place. He and Maeder both return to lead the Wolves this season.
WACO also starts 2020 tonight in Kalona. The Warriors were eighth on the girls side of the Superconference meet in 2019 led by Eryka Dickey in 26th place. The Warrior boys were led by Jonah Egli in 11th at the Superconference championships. At the state qualifier meet Egli nabbed the final spot for state in Fort Dodge taking 15th. Mackenzie Vradenberg was the top Warrior finisher on the girls side taking 63rd. In Fort Dodge, Egli took 92nd.
Joining those area schools tonight in Kalona will be Cedar Rapids Jefferson, English Valleys, Holy Trinity, and Wapello. Action starts at 5p.m. and continues into the evening on the campus of Hillcrest Academy.