One of the highlights on the fall sports calendar is here tonight when Hillcrest Academy hosts their annual home early bird meet. Hillcrest comes into head coach Marty Gingerich’s 19th season with experience on both the boys and girls teams led by senior Leah Bontrager, a three-time state meet qualifier. Bontrager is coming off of her best career finish in Fort Dodge, taking 52nd place in the 1A girls meet in 2020. She is joined by veterans Julia Boller, Jorge Canchola and Collin Miller, all seniors. The Ravens will also feature six first time participants including senior Quang Huynh and freshmen Jessie Blossom, Micah Gerber, Garrett Hurst, Morgyn Nafziger and Delaney Shaw.

Also attending from the KCII listening area are Highland, Lone Tree, Winfield-Mt. Union and WACO. The Highland girls were led in 2020 by a trio of seniors in Fiona Mahler, Taylor Sublette and Madison Thomann. Thomann placed 18th at the Superconference meet followed by Sublette 24th, and Mahler 43rd. At the state qualifier meet Sublette led the way in 17th, Thomann was 20th and Mahler 47th. The Huskies do return Katelyn Waters for her junior season. She was 46th at the Superconference meet and 39th at the state qualifier a year ago. The Highland boys lose two seniors from last year’s team with Jacob Roling and Bryce Thompson moving on. The Huskies were 11th a season at the Superconference meet. They finished 10th at the state qualifier. Carlos Valenzuela led the Huksies at conference with a 33rd place finish. At the state qualifier Highland was led by Valenzuela again in 50th.

Lone Tree did not have any girls runners a season ago. The boys team lost three seniors in Cal Christofferson, Alberto Cortez and Nick Saltzman from last year. The Lions were led at conference by Christofferson in 52nd, Cortez 64th, William Rockafellow 72nd and Joey Birtcher 75th. At state qualifier, Lone Tree was eighth with 217 points. Cortez led the way in 28th, Saltzman was 44th, Christofferson 47th, Rockafellow 58th and Birtcher 83rd. Birtcher and Rockafellow return this year for their sophomore seasons.

Winfield-Mt. Union had a 2020 that saw their girls team with three members, Maggie Hutton, Avery Maeder and Bayla Thomson. Maeder led the Lady Wolves at the Superconference meet in 22nd place, Thomson was 49th and Hutton 58th. At the state qualifier, Maeder paced WMU again, taking 22nd and Hutton was 43rd. For the Winfield-Mt. Union boys they graudated four seniors from last year’s team with Brody Barton, Jack Moody, Talon Netwon and Dane Sweezer moving on. They were sixth as a team at the Superconference meet with 168 points. They were led by Sweezer’s 18th place finish, Barton was 24th, Gabriel Hemsworth 39th, Lane Scorpil 46th, Jacob Haines 56th, Talon Newton 57th, Ty Scorpil 66th. At the state qualifier the Wolves were sixth as a team, Hemsworth was 13th, Barton 19th, Sweezer 34th, Ty Scorpil 54th, Newton 55th, and Haines 56th.

WACO brings back all three boys runners that competed a season ago. At conference, the Warriors were led by Jonah Egli 32nd, Wyatt Dennis 47th, Mattias Luitjens 78th and Noah Fried 86th. Dennis was only Warrior to run at the state qualifier, taking 46th. On the girls side of the program, the Warriors bring back all four athletes from last year including Hannah Dennis, McKenzie Vradenburg, Avery Waterhouse and Justine Lynn. At the Superconference meet, Vradenburg led the team in 44th place and Dennis was 53rd. At the state qualifier, Vradenburg was 25th and Dennis 39th. Joining these schools in Kalona tonight are Cedar Rapids Jefferson, English Valleys, Holy Trinity Catholic, Iowa City, City High, and Wapello. Action starts tonight at 4:50p.m. and continues into the evening on the campus of Hillcrest Academy.