Iowa High School Cross Country: Top Returning Girls

Here are some of the top returning distance runners in Iowa

Pella’s Marissa Ferebee celebrates as finishing her race in the 3A high school girls cross Country at Lakeside Golf Course on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, in Fort Dodge, Iowa. / Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

One of the more grueling high school sports begins this month with cross country, as runners from around the state hit the pavement for mile after mile after mile.

All roads lead to Fort Dodge and Lakeside Golf Course at Kennedy Park for the season-ending state cross country championships, as individual and team winners will be crowned in four classes.

We previously previewed the top boys returning Iowa high school cross country runners on High School on SI Iowa.

Here is a look at some of the top returning girls distance runners in Iowa high school cross country this season:

TOP RETURNING GIRLS IOWA HIGH SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY RUNNERS

Natalie Anderson, MOC-Floyd Valley, Junior

Anderson went 18:58 at state a season ago to place ninth in 3A.

Grace Berglund, Glenwood, Junior

As a sophomore, Berglund finished sixth in 3A at state, gong 18:42.

Addison Bertrand, Sioux City Bishop Heelan, Senior

Bertrand has one final chance in 3A to earn a Top 5, as she was seventh as a junior in 18:47.

Katelyn Brandhorst, Madrid, Senior

The lead runner for the Tigers, Brandhorst was fourth at state, setting a personal record with a time of 19:01.

Elsie Brenneman, Pella, Junior

The Dutch are one of the top teams in the state, as Brenneman was the 3A runner-up last year in 17:58.

Scarlett Byrnes, Osage, Senior

Byrnes clocked 18:47 on the course to finish fifth in 2A as a junior.

Emma Chesterman, Dubuque Senior, Senior

Chesterman cracked the Top 10 as a junior, taking 10th in 4A. She had a time of 18:26 at state.

Lili Denton, Council Bluffs St. Albert, Senior

An elite basketball talent, Denton is the reigning 1A state cross country champion, having gone 17:59 last fall.

Ruth Dunham, Pella, Junior

Dunham might have been the No. 3 runner on her team at state last year, but that still resulted in her finishing third overall in 3A in 18:23.

Marissa Ferebee, Pella, Senior

Ferebee had some spectacular races last fall, including a run of 16:30 at state to win it all in 3A.

Charlee Gall, Cedar Falls, Sophomore

It was quite the first year for Gall, as the Tiger was third in 4A at state in 18:11.

Chloe Glosser, Pekin, Senior

Glosser picked the right time for a personal record a season ago, going 18:31 to finish third in 1A.

Madelyn Grothus, Madrid, Junior

The second part of a 1-2 punch for the Tigers, Grothus was fifth at state in 19:09.

Izzy Hardin, Maquoketa, Senior

Hardin will try to move up the 3A ladder this year after taking fifth last season in 18;35.

Piper Messerly, Dallas Center-Grimes, Junior

Messerly placed her name atop the list with a victory in 4A last fall, finishing the course in 17:58.

Evelyn Moeller, Mount Vernon-Lisbon, Junior

Moeller will look to add to her 10th in 3A last fall, as she finished the 5,000-meter race in 18:59.

McKenna Montgomery, Albia, Senior

Look for Montgomery to push for a 2A state title after taking third in 18:43 as a junior.

Nakia Olivierre, Waterloo West, Senior

One of the top basketball players in the state, Olivierre is also a distance standout, placing fourth in 4A in 18:18.

Laura Streck, Van Meter, Junior

The highest returning 2A finisher, Streck scored silver last year in 18:31.

Brooklyn Stutzman, Mid-Prairie, Junior

The next in a long line of Mid-Prairie distance standouts, Stutzman finished eighth in 2A with a personal record time of 19:20 last year.

Alyx Woodley, Johnston, Senior

Woodley enters her final prep season having finished seventh in 4A in 18:24 last year.

Kyliee Zylstra, Grinnell, Junior

Zylstra might have her name called last in the alphabet, but she was eighth in 3A at state, going 18:53.

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