PREVIEW: Monti teams have State potential


The Monticello girls cross country team, first row from left: Serena Brokaw, Jackie Stadtmueller, Leah Koehler, Ava Capron and Leah Schemmel. Second row: Lauren Verhagen, Marisa Kehoe, Taylor Gassman, Emma Althoff and Bri Kearney. Third row: head coach Dan Sauser, Mya Postel, Ella Glawatz, Emily Hendricks, Savannah Freese and Katie Roher, assistant coach Vallerie Lynn and volunteer coach Bruce Novak. Not pictured is Halle Recker. (Photos by Pete Temple)

The Monticello boys cross country team, first row from left: Grant Gassman, Aedan Althoff, Brennan Bohlken, Reeve Graver, Dylan Ponder and Elijah Norton. Second row: Will Wolken, Chesney Capron, Rylan Bertling, Cole Nietert, Walker Spence, Hayden Tomkins, Joe Stoll and Alex Oswald. Third row: head coach Dan Sauser, Charly Lloyd, Connor Eastin, Alex Prull, Royce Kiburz, Harrison Ahlrichs, Cord Nietert, Nathan Sauser, Jacob Miller, assistant coach Vallerie Lynn and volunteer coach Bruce Novak. Not pictured is Mace Schnoor.
CROSS COUNTRY
By: 
Pete Temple
Express Sports Editor

   The goal doesn’t change much from year to year for the Monticello High School cross country teams: to get to the state meet.

   And with plenty of talent and experience returning from last year’s state-qualifying squads, the goal once again seems attainable.

   The Panther girls finished third in the state in Class 2A a year ago, and return four runners from that squad: senior Emma Althoff, junior Marisa Kehoe, and sophomores Ava Capron and Leah Koehler. Althoff was the highest individual finisher at the state meet in 2021, taking 17th place; and Capron was 20th.

   “The core unit is there to be very successful, and return to State for another possible trophy,” 19th-year head coach Dan Sauser said. “The girls are not as deep as the boys, so they will need to remain healthy.”

   Senior Savannah Freese is another letter-winner returning to the squad.

   Monticello’s boys also reached State in 2021, finishing 17th. Two seniors from last year have graduated, but the remainder of the team is back. There are eight returning letter-winners: seniors Dylan Ponder, Harrison Ahlrichs, Chesney Capron, Jacob Miller, Cord Nietert and Walker Spence; junior Alex Oswald, and sophomore Reeve Graver.

   “The boys’ team will have depth, and that will be a strength,” Sauser said. “If we can remain healthy, the boys will have all the pieces to compete at the highest level in 2A.”

   Eastern Iowa has many of the strongest teams in the state, and many of those reside in the River Valley Conference along with Monticello.

   On the girls’ side, Mid-Prairie, Tipton and Northeast have a lot of returning runners. Dyersville Beckman joins the conference this year (as does Maquoketa), and the Trailblazers return six runners from a state-qualifying team.

   The Panthers’ toughest foes in the boys’ division figure to be Tipton, Mid-Prairie, Iowa City Regina, Northeast and Bellevue.

   “It should be an exciting conference meet for both the boys and girls,” Sauser said.

   In all, the Panthers have 23 boys and 16 girls out for the team.

   “Both teams will need to see development in runners four through seven,” the coach said. “There are a lot of runners that have the potential to step into those roles.”

   Sauser is assisted by Vallerie Lynn and volunteer assistant Bruce Novak.

 

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