Iowa High School Cross Country Individual, Team Preseason Rankings

Piper Messerly, Logan Bleich among top returning distance runners in Iowa.

Dallas Center-Grimes' Piper Messerly crosses the finish line during the Iowa high school cross country championships at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Fort Dodge. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Along with the start of the Iowa high school football and volleyball seasons, the cross country campaign is set to get underway here soon.

Runners have been putting in the miles to prepare for the rigors of a long, grinding season of distance running.

The Iowa Association of Track Coaches released preseason individual and team rankings in all four classes for both boys and girls.

The co-ed state cross country championships take place Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31 from Lakeside Golf Course and Kennedy Park in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Classes 1A and 2A will compete first, with Classes 3A and 4A hitting the trail the following day.

Here are the preseason boys and girls cross country individual and team rankings from the Iowa Association of Track Coaches.

The Iowa high school cross country season is right around the corner. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Preseason Iowa High School Cross Country Rankings

Boys

Individual Rankings

Class 4A

1. Preston Johnston, Marshalltown
2. Keegan Decker, Iowa City Liberty
3. Kuma Gutema, Sioux City North
4. Jack Crossland, Johnston
5. Andrew Heden, Bettendorf
6. Dominic Williams, Cedar Falls
7. Charlie Deick, Dowling Catholic
8. Cole Carrizales, Cedar Rapids Prairie
9. Graham Ibeling, Dallas Center-Grimes
10. Jonah Whitson, Pleasant Valley
11. Zack Ryan, Davenport Central
12. Jax Alvarez, Ankeny Centennial
13. Michael Hanna, Iowa City West
14. Tayson Cho, Iowa City Liberty
15. Jake Robidoux, Indianola
16. David Randall, Iowa City High
17. Owen Anderson, Dubuque Senior
18. Thomas Limback, West Des Moines Valley
19. Evan Lillie, Lewis Central
20. Henry Maloney, Dubuque Hempstead

Class 3A

1. Logan Bleich, Gilbert
2. Jacob Tallman, Gilbert
3. Carson Meskimen, Clear Creek-Amana
4. Kyle Olson, Central DeWitt
5. Josiah Sisler, Des Moines Christian
6. Henry Hansen, Mason City
7. Dillon Dorenkamp, Des Moines Christian
8. Benjamin Brinkmann, Mount Vernon/Lisbon
9. Isaac Hummbell, MOC-Floyd Valley
10. Ryler Hanson, Bondurant-Farrar
11. Luke McCormick, Des Moines Christian
12. Porter Carlton, Pella
13. Matthew Dahm, Sioux Center
14. Drew Cundy, Sioux Center
15. Cole Niemann, Central DeWitt
16. Carlos Meraz, West Liberty
17. Cooper Lenz, Newton
18. Zach Stevemer, Gilbert
19. Isaac Sandquist, Grinnell
20. Leo Knox, Davenport Assumption

Class 2A

1. Jesse Gomez, Denver
2. Lucas Anderson, Chariton
3. Cy Stuart, Chariton
4. Emmanuel Grass, Red Oak
5. Jace Hungerford, Spirit Lake
6. Malakai Vermeer, Sheldon
7. Cody Dixson, Chariton
8. Corben Lucchesi, Roland-Story
9. Hayden Heitbrink, Red Oak
10. Will Schmidgall, Mediapolis
11. Mason Sells, Shenandoah
12. Ian Ten Napel, Hull Western Christian
13. Cooper Blaser, Forest City
14. Jonathan Schuknecht, Garner-Hayfield/Ventura
15. Griffin Stoltz, Pella Christian
16. Jackson Burrell, Anamosa
17. Brenden Lahart, PCM
18. Grant Gayther, Forest City
19. Oscar Cline, Louisa-Muscatine
20. Jayden Hegenbarth, Sheldon

Class 1A

1. Hugh Conway, South Winneshiek
2. Haven Weers, Tri-Center
3. Max Handorf, Baxter
4. Lucos Wernimont, Sioux Central
5. David Nichols, Earlham
6. Dane Gorham, Boyer Valley
7. Colton Alberts, Lynnville-Sully
8. Owen Fenner, Riverside Oakland
9. Eli Hudnall, Riverside Oakland
10. Aiden Summerfield, Woodbine
11. Zachary Gardner, Ankeny Christian Academy
12. Lane Rygh, Lake Mills
13. Blake Wilmesmeier, Lynnville-Sully
14. Cruz Jaquez, Riverside Oakland
15. Dawson Braet, Earlham
16. Lucas Ballard, Bellevue Marquette Catholic
17. Brady Henning, North Butler
18. Jacob Sporrer, Logan-Magnolia
19. Preston Kent, ACGC
20. Jackson Walter, Council Bluffs St. Albert

Girls

Class 4A

1. Piper Messerly, Dallas Center-Grimes
2. Laney Sundet, Waukee Northwest
3. Tenley Heidgerken, Dallas Center-Grimes
4. Joley Sullivan, Davenport Central
5. Maddie Millage, Pleasant Valley
6. Emmy Stubbendeck, Waukee Northwest
7. Ellie Blevins, Ankeny Centennial
8. Charlee Gall, Cedar Falls
9. Ele Wharton, Johnston
10. Rebecca Flick, Ankeny Centennial
11. Hailey Kozloski, Linn-Mar
12. Emma Stanley, Ames
13. Madelyn Hoss, Lewis Central
14. Ella Jones, Waukee Northwest
15. Grace Hamann, Iowa City High
16. Sarah Foad, Pleasant Valley
17. Vivian McCombs, Pleasant Valley
18. Piper Vander Ley, Waukee Northwest
19. Caroline Opfer, Waukee Northwest
20. Elizabeth Tiffany, Dowling Catholic

Class 3A

1. Evelyn Moeller, Mount Vernon/Lisbon
2. Elsie Brenneman, Pella
3. Elyse Erzen, Des Moines Christian
4. Natalie Anderson, MOC-Floyd Valley
5. Elizabeth VandeVoort, Pella
6. Aaliyah Causey, Center Point-Urbana
7. Ruth Dunham, Pella
8. Ashlyn Rau, Harlan Community
9. Audrina Jones, Sioux Center
10. Julia Heslink, Harlan Community
11. Alexis Hergenreter, North Polk
12. Carleigh Altwine, Pella
13. Falyn Svalstad, Solon
14. Ava Hope, Winterset
15. Grace Berglund, Glenwood
16. Avery Fedler, Mount Pleasant
17. Lizzy Vande Voort, Pella
18. Brinkley Strickland, Bondurant-Farrar
19. Channing Becker, Williamsburg
20. Mallory Back, Winterset

Class 2A

1. Kendal Landstrum, Mid-Prairie
2. Mary Grace Lyons, Monticello
3. Kambrie Dekkers, Unity Christian
4. Brooklyn Stutzman, Mid-Prairie
5. Jordyn Bergman, Jesup
6. Mady Montgomery, Albia
7. Ashlyn Sauser, Oelwein
8. Hailey Koelweyn, Unity Christian
9. Fiona McGill, Louisa-Muscatine
10. Lily Miller, Treynor
11. Laura Streck, Van Meter
12. Delany Homan, Camanche
13. McKenna Kozelka, MFL MarMac
14. Kielly Kasal, West Marshall
15. Addi Lomholt, OABCIG
16. Madalyn Kermann, Treynor
17. Miriam Downing, Waukon
18. Dalaney Eldridge, West Marshall
19. Reegan Benzing, Waukon
20. Lila Milani, PCM

Class 1A

1. Lauren Krogmann, Starmont
2. Alexis Mujica, Mason City Newman Catholic
3. Madelyn Grothus, Madrid
4. Abbi Waskow, Dunkerton
5. Hannah Brandhorsst, Madrid
6. Julia Swift, Bishop Garrigan
7. Audra Burbridge, Maquoketa Valley
8. Sydney Zupke, Sumner-Fredericksburg
9. Ashlynn Hosbond, Colfax-Mingo
10. Josie Dykstra, WACO Wayland
11. Siena Stanerson, Hillcrest Academy
12. Ivy Urbatsch, Northwood-Kensett
13. Jayden Peters, Collins-Maxwell
14. Sage Weber, Sioux Central
15. Stella Riediger, Hinton
16. Hayden Hendrick, Colo-Nesco
17. Iris Garza, Columbus Junction
18. Josie Diers, Edgewood-Colesburg
19. Emma Parkinson, Lynnville-Sully
20. Ava Witt, Saint Ansgar

Team Rankings

Boys

Class 4A

1. Dowling Catholic
2. Johnston
3. Cedar Falls
4. Dallas Center-Grimes
5. Cedar Rapids Prairie
6. Pleasant Valley
7. Iowa City Liberty
8. Indianola
9. Iowa City High
10. Norwalk
11. Ankeny Centennial
12. Waukee Northwest
13. Dubuque Hempstead
14. Bettendorf
15. Dubuque Senior
16. Waukee
17. West Des Moines Valley
18. Davenport Central
19. Iowa City West
20. Urbandale

Class 3A

1. Gilbert
2. Sioux Center
3. Decorah
4. Central DeWitt
5. Mount Vernon/Lisbon
6. Des Moines Christian
7. Pella
8. Davenport Assumption
9. Clear Creek-Amana
10. ADM
11. MOC-Floyd Valley
12. Bondurant-Farrar
13. Grinnell
14. Cedar Rapids Xavier
15. Storm Lake
16. Winterset
17. Nevada
18. Dubuque Wahlert
19. Clear Lake
20. Carlisle

Class 2A

1. Chariton
2. Forest City
3. Unity Christian
4. Spirit Lake
5. Red Oak
6. Pella Christian
7. Denver
8. Western Christian
9. Shenandoah
10. PCM
11. Van Meter
12. Monticello
13. Tipton
14. Okoboji
15. Louisa-Muscatine
16. Mediapolis
17. Jesup
18. Roland-Story
19. Anamosa
20. Sheldon

Class 1A

1. Riverside Oakland
2. Earlham
3. Columbus Junction
4. Ankeny Christian Academy
5. Lynnville-Sully
6. Nodaway Valley
7. South Winneshiek
8. Springville
9. Sioux Central
10. Baxter
11. Lake Mills
12. Woodbine
13. Council Bluffs St. Albert
14. Boyer Valley
15. Pekin
16. Van Buren County
17. West Hancock
18. Ridge View
19. IKM-Manning
20. Ogden

Girls

Class 4A

1. Waukee Northwest
2. Ankeny Centennial
3. Cedar Falls
4. Pleasant Valley
5. Dallas Center-Grimes
6. Johnston
7. Iowa City High
8. West Des Moines Valley
9. Linn-Mar
10. Waukee
11. Dowling Catholic
12. Ames
13. Norwalk
14. Cedar Rapids Prairie
15. Iowa City West
16. Iowa City Liberty
17. Indianola
18. Dubuque Senior
19. Dubuque Hempstead
20. Davenport Central

Class 3A

1. Pella
2. Des Moines Christian
3. Solon
4. Sioux Center
5. Winterset
6. Mount Vernon/Lisbon
7. Williamsburg
8. Center Point-Urbana
9. Ballard
10. Decorah
11. Harlan
12. ADM
13. Cedar Rapids Xavier
14. Dubuque Wahlert Catholic
15. Gilbert
16. North Polk
17. MOC-Floyd Valley
18. Boone
19. Clear Lake
20. Mason City

Class 2A

1. Treynor
2. Waukon
3. Unity Christian
4. Mid-Prairie
5. West Marshall
6. Forest City
7. PCM
8. Van Meter
9. Dike-New Hartford
10. Jesup
11. Monticello
12. Pella Christian
13. Tipton
14. Denver
15. MFL MarMac
16. Shenandoah
17. Aplington-Parkersburg
18. Crestwood
19. North Fayette Valley
20. Albia

Class 1A

1. Sumner-Fredericksburg
2. Madrid
3. English Valleys
4. South Winneshiek
5. Van Buren County
6. Tri-Center
7. Sibley-Ocheyedan
8. Hudson
9. Newell-Fonda
10. Wapsie Valley
11. Collins-Maxwell
12. Grundy Center
13. Lynnville-Sully
14. Sioux Central
15. Maquoketa Valley
16. Pleasantville
17. Martensdale-St. Marys
18. Hinton
19. Starmont
20. Earlham