Southeast Iowa is ready to make some noise at the Iowa High School State Cross Country Championships in Fort Dodge this weekend. Eight teams and a dozen runners from schools in the KCII listening area are represented in this week’s poll from the Iowa Association of Track Coaches.

The Washington Demon boys are ranked No. 13 in this week’s 3A team poll. The Demons qualified for state with a runner-up team finish at Pella last week. Individually, Tyler Alderton checks in at No. 13 and Andrew Rees No. 30. Those two led the way for the Demon boys at the State Qualifier meet last week, finishing third and fifth respectively. For the Washington girls, Iris Dahl jumps back into the 3A individual girls rankings at No. 15 this week after a fifth place run in Pella a week ago. This is the first time in school history the Washington boys and girls full teams have qualified for State in the same year.

The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk boys are the No. 1 team in the land in 2A after winning their State Qualifier at Pella Christian last week. The Hawks have two in their lineup in the top 15 with defending 2A individual State champ Emmett Swartzentruber No. 8 and fellow senior Preston Yutzy No. 14 this week. At the qualifier Swartzentruber finished runner-up and Yutzy third. The Golden Hawk girls are No. 2 in Class 2A after their State Qualifier team title a week ago. Two Hawks appear in this week’s rankings including No. 8 Brooklyn Stutzman and No. 18 Rachel Hostetler. At the qualifier Stutzman was individual runner-up and Hostetler was sixth. This is the 10th straight year the Golden Hawk girls team has earned a bid to state, and the fifth straight year for the boys team.

In Class 1A, the Columbus boys are No. 12 in this week’s 1A team poll. The Wildcats are on their way to state as a team for the seventh time in school history and third in the last five years after finishing as team runners-up in their qualifier at North Linn. Ty Muniz is No. 27 on the boys side individually after a fourth place run at the State Qualifier.

Other entries in the 1A individual poll from the IATC this week include Hillcrest Raven girls runners Marie Yoder at No. 11 and Siena Stanerson No. 25. They will both be on the course at Fort Dodge, earning bids at the Pleasantville qualifier last week, placing second and fifth respectively. In the 1A boys poll, WACO’s Jude Dykstra is No. 18 this week after winning the Pleasantville qualifier to earn a spot at State. Winfield-Mt. Union’s Kohlby Newsom is No. 28 this week, he was runner-up at Pleasantville to earn his trip to Fort Dodge.

The Iowa High School State Cross Country Championships are scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Kennedy Park in Fort Dodge. Listen to KCII for updates at the top of every hour, and find full results on our website at KCIIradio.com.