Thursday, the Iowa City Kickers complex will be filled with the best runners in southeast Iowa when Regina High School hosts the Class 1A State Cross Country qualifier meet. Eight teams from the KCII listening area are including in the 19-team field.

Columbus comes into the night with nine days since their last meet, when they hosted the Mike Jay Invitational. The Wildcat boys were second as a team with 47 points led by junior Damian Vergara fifth. The Wildcat girls were led by Naveiah Garza in 10th overall.

The Highland Huskies were at Mediapolis a week ago. The Huskies saw Siena Stanerson and Erika Thoman both go top 10 in the girls race and Jackson Schneider finish 23rd in the boys run.

Hillcrest Academy was also at Heritage Oaks in Mediapolis. Micah Gerber had the top area boys finish in the race, placing sixth. Delaney Shaw was 14th for the Raven girls.

The Keota Eagles have been off since the 11th when they ran at Sigourney in the South Iowa Cedar League Conference meet. The Eagles were led by Owen Morris 37th in the boys race.

Lone Tree’s last outing was at MEPO last Thursday. Vivian Zaruba led the Lady Lions with a third place finish. The Lion boys had Jadin Greiser take 25th.

Sigourney’s final regular season tune-up was last week’s SICL Championship meet on their home course. Reanah Utterback was fourth overall for the Savage girls and Troy Klett took eighth in the boys race for Sigourney.

WACO also ran last at Mediapolis where McKenzie Vradenburg led the Warrior girls in 10th and Keirran Luitjens the WACO boys in 11th.

Winfield-Mt. Union finished the regular season last week at Cedarcrest in Columbus Junction. The Wolves won the boys team title with 39 points led by Kohlby Newsom third overall. The Lady Wolves had Emma Richardson as the top finisher in 28th.

Joining these teams tonight in Iowa City are the No. 5 Bellevue boys and their girls, BGM, the No. 3 Danville boys and their No. 20 girls, Durant, English Valleys, Holy Trinity Catholic, the No. 18 Hudson boys and their No. 5 girls, Iowa Valley, Montezuma, Wapello and the top ranked home Regal boys and their No. 12 girls. There are seven ranked teams and a total of nine ranked runners in the field. Action starts at 4p.m. and continues into the evening in Iowa City.