Iowa at NXN Regionals
The Nike Cross Regionals and Nationals series determines the top U.S. high school cross country teams. Iowa (plus KS, MN, NE, ND, SD, WI) athletes and teams participated in the Nike Cross Heartland Regionals, Sioux Falls, SD on November 10, one of eight regional competitions held nationally to qualify individuals and teams for expenses paid trips to Nike Cross Nationals, Portland, OR, December 1. Only the top two teams and five individuals (not on qualifying teams) advance to Portland.
Because state high school association regulations prohibit athletes and teams from officially representing their schools in post-state-meet competitions, athletes and teams must represent “clubs” or compete “unattached”. However, to properly associate athletes/teams with their schools, we’ll indicate the schools (if not obvious) as well as their clubs.
Following are the top finishers from Iowa.
BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP RACE:
Teams (among top 15 of 32 scoring teams) -
- Dowling Catholic XC Club, 2nd, 113 points (qualifies for Nationals)
- Linn-Mar RC, 12th, 421 points
- Eastern Iowa Fighting Turtles (Monticello), 13th, 429 points
- Pleasant Valley XC, 14th, 431 points
Individuals (among top 30 of 331 finishers) –
- Jason Thomas, Dowling Catholic XC Club, 12th, 15:54.93 (qualifies with team for Nationals)
- Alex Ntagowa, unattached (Urbandale), 16th, 16:03.29
- Jeff DeRocher, Dowling Catholic XC Club, 17th, 16:03.62 (qualifies with team for Nationals)
- Spencer Clark, Dowling Catholic XC Club, 25th, 16:09.55 (qualifies with team for Nationals)
- Ben Anderson, Running Orange (Urbandale), 27th, 16:11.15
- Albert Meier, unattached (Boone), 28th, 16:12.00
GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP RACE:
Teams (among top 15 of 29 scoring teams) –
- Ultimate Warriors (Dowling Catholic), 3rd, 217 points
- Linn-Mar RC, 8th, 254 points
- PCGXC (Pleasant Valley), 9th, 269 points
Individuals (among top 30 of 260 finishers) –
- Stephanie Jenks, Linn-Mar RC, 3rd, 17:58.59 (qualifies for Nationals)
- Anna Holdiman, unattached (Waverly-Shell Rock), 10th, 18:25.94
- Karrisa Schweizer, Ultimate Warriors (Dowling Catholic), 16th, 18:42.47
- Ashlynn Yokom, unattached (Iowa City West), 18th, 18:43.87
- Mckenzie Yanek, PVGXC (Pleasant Valley), 19th, 18:47.36
Click here for the complete results of the Championship races.
Click here to download the results from all divisions.
Congratulations Dowling Catholic boys and Stephanie Jenks for advancing to Nike Cross Nationals. Have a great trip with, and competition against, the top HS teams, and many of the top individuals, in the U.S.
Stephanie Jenks, Linn-Mar HS, Marion; qualifier to Nike Cross Nationals