Class 3A Boys State Cross Country Meet Breakdown – Your Prep Sports

Class 3A

where: Fort Dodge Lakeside Golf Course

When: Friday, 11:15 a.m

Qualified teams: *Gilbert; Sioux Center; MOC-Floyd Valley; *Grinnell; ADM; Carlisle; *Sang; Washington; Bondurant-Farrar; *Des Moines Christian; Central DeWitt; Davenport Assumption; *Mount Vernon-Lisbon; Decor; Clear Creek Amana

*-state qualifying champions

Individual State Qualification Champions: Carson Squires, jr., Gilbert; Kadell Conner, jr., Grinnell; Canaan Dunham, jr., Pella; Quentin Nauman, jr., Western Dubuque; Austin Soldwisch, Sr., Waverly-Shell Rock

Top five for 2023: 1. Gilbert; 2. Pella 63; 3. Council Bluffs Lewis Central; 4. Carlisle; 5. Washington

Last five tag team champions: 2023 – Gilbert; 2022 – Pella; 2021 – Dallas Center-Grimes; 2020 – Dallas Center-Grimes; 2019 – Dallas Center-Grimes

Returning state winners: 1. Canaan Dunham, Jr., Pella; 6. Quentin Nauman, Jr., Western Dubuque; 8. Logan Bleich, Soph., Gilbert; 9. Jacob Tallman, Soph., Gilbert; 11. Devon Brown, Sr., Pella; 12. Carson Squiers, Jr., Gilbert; 14. Grady Olberding, Sr., Mount Vernon-Lisbon; 15. Emmett Barber, Sr., Gilbert

Top ranked teams: 1. Gilbert; 2. Des Moines Christian; 3. Sing; 4. Mount Vernon-Lisbon; 5. Decor

Regional teams ranked: #7 Clear Creek Amana

Top Ranked Individuals: 1. Quentin Nauman, Jr., Western Dubuque; 2. Canaan Dunham, Jr., Pella; 3. Carson Squires, Jr., Gilbert; 4. Logan Bleich, Soph., Gilbert; 5. Austin Soldwisch, Sr., Waverly-Shell Rock

Individuals in the classified area: 28. Isaac Sorensen, Sr., Clear Creek Amana

Tag team title race: Gilbert edged Pella by six points for the title last season and returns five riders from that team.

The Tigers were impressive as they won the state qualifier last week and entered as the favorite over Pella.

Last year’s 2A champion Des Moines Christian won the team title at the Solon state qualifier last week and will look to work its way into the trophy conversation in its first season in 3A.

Mount Vernon-Lisbon won the WAMAC title by six over Clear Creek Amana and finished 12 points ahead of the Clippers while winning the state meet title last week.

Individual Title Tracking: Other races might offer more overall intrigue, but if you’re looking for a doubleheader between two of the best around, this is the race for you.

Defending champion Canaan Dunham of Pella and West Dubuque standout Quentin Nauman should put on a show in what will likely be one of the best races of the weekend.

Dunham finished seven seconds off the field while winning the 3A title a year ago, while Naumann was sixth.

Friday’s meeting should be much closer.

Gilbert’s Carson Squiers and Logan Bleich are returning state medalists and should be at the front of the pack Friday along with Waverly-Shell Rock senior Austin Soldwisch.

Breakdown by area: Clear Creek Amana returns to Fort Dodge for the third straight season and after placing 14th^th and ninth over the last two seasons, the Clippers will look to do some damage on Friday.

Led by seniors Brock Hillsman and Isaac Sorensen, Clear Creek, Amana is more than capable of a top-5 finish.

Hillsman was 30^th at the state meet last season and will be looking for a strong finish in his third straight trip to the state meet.

Sorensen finished 100^th at the state meet and could be among the meet’s biggest players this season as he looks to put the finishing touches on what has been a breakout season.

Keep an eye on freshman Carson Meskimen and Micah Johnson, who are having impressive debut seasons for Clear Creek Amana.

Speaking of debuts, Solon freshman Anders Holmes will make his debut at Fort Dodge’s Lakeside Golf Course on Friday.

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