This is part of a series of previews for the 2022 Nebraska high school track season. You can find more of them on our blog at www.preprunningnerd.com/blog.
Due to our extensive coverage of XC, distance running is the sweet spot of our coverage - and particularly the athletes in Class A. However, we got to know the other classes a lot better after the 2021 XC season, so we’ll do our best to make semi-intelligent observations about them. We’ll post a separate article on the top Class A distance athletes later this week.
Class A Boys
We have a star-studded field of returning athletes – so star-studded that we felt the need to write a separate article on the top athletes in Class A. So… you’ll have to wait another day to see read that extensive coverage. However, we’ll give a few observations.
800 returning medalists
· Daniel Romary, 1:52.15 – Lincoln Northeast (1st)
· Gabe Hinrichs, 1:53.10 – Elkhorn South
· Braden Taylor, 1:53.92 – Fremont
· Tyson Baker, 1:56.22 – Fremont
· Nolan Miller, 1:56.27 – Fremont
· Reed Emsick, 1:57.68 – Omaha Burke
This winter Romary (Iowa State) has been open on Strava regarding a difficult injury he’s working through, so it’s unclear whether he can quickly regain the form that led him to a USATF national championship last year. Consequently, we’ll tab Hinrichs (Notre Dame) as the favorite, although it’s tough to discount Taylor (Tulsa), Baker (UNK) or Miller (Nebraska). All three have had great indoor seasons, with Taylor running 1:58.07 and 4:25.31. Emsick is a wild card after medaling as a sophomore; he’s a football player so we don’t have any data on him since last May. We’ll also looking for big things from Luke Johnson and Grant Dixon of Elkhorn South, who have clearly benefitted from training with Hinrichs.
1600 returning medalists
· Gabe Hinrichs, 4:12.40 – Elkhorn South (1st)
· Daniel Romary, 4:14.28 – Lincoln Northeast
· Braden Taylor, 4:19.94 – Fremont
· Sam Kirchner, 4:20.05 – Millard West
· Carter Waters, 4:23.73 - Fremont
Let’s be honest – the 1600 won’t be nearly as much fun without Liem Chot and Nerd the Third, but we’re still excited for this competition. Of the 9 seniors who qualified for State last year, I believe at least 7 are still competing in college, so this race has a lot of sex appeal. Gabe Hinrichs is the clear favorite and will aim to break the State record sometime this spring. Look for Colby Erdkamp (Nebraska) to make his mark after getting DQ’d in last year’s race; he ran 4:20 at 2021 Districts and a 4:24 indoors this winter. Grant Wasserman didn’t qualify in the 1600 in 2021 but looks to be in good form after running 4:25 in February, and Taylor, Waters and Miller from Fremont all ran under 4:26 this winter. Kirchner (Nebraska) collected medals in the 1600 and 3200 last May and was a top-5 guy in cross country until having a bad State race, while teammates Seth Fey (South Dakota), Piercze Marshall and Cole Haith could be a factor in any of the distance races. Let’s not forget the young guys – Isaac Ochoa of Norfolk ran 4:27 last spring as a freshman and has placed 5th and 6th at State XC. Jack Witte of Millard West, also a freshman, ran 4:26 at Districts before finishing 10th at State, while teammate Porter Bickley also qualified with a 4:35 as a freshman. Finally, Joe Volkmer (Nebraska) of Lincoln East is our dark horse – he was 14th last year in 4:31 but has quite a bit of potential that hasn’t been reflected in race results. He also ran with Nerd Junior over the winter, and Nerd Junior vouches for him.
3200 returning medalists
· Gabe Hinrichs, 8:59.66 – Elkhorn South (1st)
· Daniel Romary, 9:04.37 – Lincoln Northeast
· Sam Kirchner, 9:24.05 – Millard West
· Colby Erdkamp, 9:25.29 – Gretna
· Carter Waters, 9:28.81 – Fremont
· Grant Wasserman, 9:33.25 – Lincoln North Star
Based on cross country results, this distance could be incredibly competitive. While Hinrichs will be chasing after Seth Hirsch’s state record, Carter Waters may be thinking the same thing after he ran 9:15 at an indoor meet in February. We expect 3-time XC medalists Evan Caudy (UNK) of North Platte and Juan Garcia to be factors, especially after Juan improved his 1600 PR by seven seconds (4:32) at an indoor meet. Max Myers of LSW qualified in the 3200 last spring as a freshman and followed up with 14th-place finish at State XC last fall. Isaac Ochoa of Norfolk never attempted the 3200 during his freshman season, but his success at XC would suggest this should be his best race. Evan Liewer (North Dakota State) of Gretna has some momentum – he was 11th in the 3200 last May, 9th at State XC, and he ran an indoor 4:33 last month. Fremont and Millard West have so much distance talent right now that we can’t predict who will be in each race, but Class A has 20 legitimate medal contenders in the 3200. Thirteen boys broke 10:00 at last year’s State meet; with good weather and a reasonable distribution of athletes among Districts, we could see 20 boys do it this year.
We profiled Hinrichs, Romary and Kirchner prior to the State XC meet; here’s that article.
Class A Girls
800 returning medalists
· Brianna Rinn, 2:13.30 – Lincoln Southwest (1st)
· Lucy Dillon, 2:17, 59 – Fremont
· Taylor McCabe, 2:18.42 – Fremont
· Stella Miner, 2:19.38 – Omaha Westside
· Jaci Sievers, 2:19.64 – Elkhorn South
· Addison Johnson, 2:20.40 - Columbus
1600 returning medalists
· Elli Dahl, 5:00.58 – Fremont (1st)
· Brianna Rinn, 5:10.93 – Lincoln Southwest
· Claire White, 5:13.87 – Omaha Westside
· Jaci Sievers, 5:13.95 – Elkhorn South
· Deavion Deleon, 5:16.96 – Papio South
3200 returning medalists
· Elli Dahl, 10:47.65 – Fremont (1st)
· Stella Miner, 11:04.05 – Omaha Westside
· Claire White, 11:31:05 – Omaha Westside
· Jaci Sievers, 11:32.00 – Elkhorn South
· Izzy Apel, 11:32.04 – Lincoln East
· Maris Dahl, 11:36.01 - Fremont
A star-studded cast of distance runners graduated last May – including Kaylie Crews (Alabama), Hannah Godwin (Nebraska), Jenna Muma (Wichita State) and Shelby Bracker (UNK) – but the defending champions return and the field’s depth has jumped up a notch this year. There are 16 returning qualifiers in the 800, 17 in the 1600 and a whopping 20 in the 3200 and, not surprisingly, a lot of them have gotten better.
Elli Dahl (Nebraska) of Fremont in the reigning champ in the 1600 and 3200, and she was an absolute tank last fall, going undefeated in the high school season by leading every race from almost the gun. Of course, she was shadowed by Jaci Sievers in four races last fall, with Elli winning the first three by a combined 11 seconds. Elli took a 29-second win at State, setting a State meet record of 17:58, which led us to believe she would be unbeatable this spring.
And then the winter happened. Jaci Sievers ran against collegiate women at the UNL Adidas Classic in late January, posting a 5:03 mile (converts to 5:01 1600) despite having limited speedwork. She upped her game last weekend at the New Balance Indoor Nationals, running 4:57.86 (4:56.13 1600), to jump to 7th on the Nebraska girls all-time list. Here’s the top 10 based on the best records I have:
Elizabeth Lange, Lincoln Pius, 4:49.3
Erin Lee, York, 4:49.6 (converted)
Aubree Worden, Scottsbluff, 4:50.06
Emily Sisson, Millard North, 4:51.42
Katie Spencer, Millard South, 4:55.18
Jenny Stricker, Lincoln Southeast, 4:55.6
Jaci Sievers, Elkhorn South, 4:56.13 (converted)
Anne Shadle, South Sioux City, 4:56.4 (converted)
Donna Spicklemeier, Hayes Center, 4:58.06
Sara Ensrud, Gering, 4:58.14
Jaci did have the benefit of running in a competitive field, but Stella Miner essentially ran a solo 5:11 and 2:15 over the winter despite limited mileage due to the swim season. Stella couldn’t compete last fall after transferring from Marian to Westside, and her freshman State meet was limited due to a stress reaction. Stella ran PRs of 5:05 and 10:56 before she was injured, so she should battle it out with Elli and Jaci.
There is no shortage of other rock stars. Brianna Rinn of Lincoln Southwest is the defending 800 champ with PRs of 59.74, 2:13.07 and 5:10.93, and she finished 4th at State XC. She has already popped off a 2:16 and 5:24 at a time trials on March 8, so she’s fit. Mia Murray of Lincoln East had an exceptional XC season, finishing 8th at State, and ran 5:21/11:26 as a freshman last year in West Virginia. Claire White of Westside was 5th in 2021 in the 1600 (5:13.87) and 3200 (11:31.05), 3rd at 2021 State XC, and she ran 5:18 this winter. Lucy Dillon and Taylor McCabe of Fremont, as well as Deavion Deleon of Papio South, should be in the mix with Rinn, Miner and Sievers in the 800, and Fremont will likely have another killer 4x800 team. In addition to all of these girls, there are at least 10 others with podium potential, and we’ll give them their due during the season.
Will this be the best year ever for girls’ distance running? I think it could be. Lange’s 1600 record could be in jeopardy, although I think Karlene Erickson’s (Wheeler Central) 3200 record of 10:19 from 1982 is safe. However, we should see at least three sub-5:00 athletes this year and as many as six go sub-11:00. The 10th fastest 3200 time in history appears to be a converted 10:43.65 by Theresa Stelling Gosnell of Auburn, who now coaches at Westside. How’s that for a little extra motivation for Westside runners Stella Miner and Claire White?
We profiled Elli Dahl and Jaci Sievers prior to State XC; here is that article.
Class B Boys
800 returning medalists
· Conner Wells, 1:55.72 – St. Paul (1st)
· Nolan Slominski, 1:57.86 – Blair
· Tanner Cooper, 1:58.61 – Norris
· Jack Wade, 1:58.71 – Omaha Skutt
1600 returning medalists
· Mesuidi Ejerso, 4:31.45 – South Sioux City (2nd)
· Jacob Rupp, 4:32.06 – Fort Calhoun
· Luke Bonifas, 4:32.75 – Adams Central
· Daniel Bashtovoi, 4:34.59 – Sidney
· Colin Pinneo, 4:34.90 - York
3200 returning medalists
· Mesuidi Ejerso, 9:46.96 – South Sioux City (1st)
· Colin Pinneo, 10:05.05 – York
· Ian Salazar-Molina, 10:05.29 – Lexington
· Dawson Fricke, 10:09.56 - Blair
The 2021 1600 champion, Jayden Welsh of Hastings, has moved onto UNK, but defending champions Conner Wells (400/800 UNK commit) of St. Paul and Mesuidi Ejerso (3200) of South Sioux City return. Mesuidi won the Class B XC title last fall by 22 seconds, while Connor finished 11th in Class C. While Wells and Ejerso are favorites to repeat this year, it will not be an easy task with so many top runners returning.
Among other returners, Colin Pinneo of York had a solid XC season and was ranked in the top 5 for most of the fall before finishing 11th at Class B State. Nathan Nottingham of Seward was a bit of a surprise as runner-up in Class B, and seems likely to improve up on his 55.1/2:06/4:46 PRs. Riley Boonstra of Norris was 2nd-ranked going into State XC before finishing 4th, just four seconds behind Nottingham. Jack Wade of Skutt should be in the medal hunt, and teammate Alex Rice had an impressive winter with marks of 2:02.96 and 4:35.18. It’s difficult to be sure which of the Lexington boys from the State XC champion team will be on the track, but Lex has incredible talent. Tanner Cooper (UNK) of Norris returns, hopefully with a mullet, and is a medal favorite again in the 800.
A number of the boys in the medal mix for this spring were competing at the Class C XC meet. Luke Bonifas (Doane) had an exceptional season, knocking off some the top Class B boys during the season, and he finished 2nd behind Carson Noecker at State. He finished 26 seconds ahead of Jacob Rupp, who was followed by his Fort Calhoun teammates Ely and Lance Olberding. Daniel Bashtovoi, Cameron Brauer and Mitchell Deer (UNK) of Sidney finished in the top 17 at Class C State XC and should be competitive.
We look for Ejerso, Wells, Boonstra and Bonifas to be formidable competitors this spring, but there are at least 20 other boys with realistic expectations of medaling at State.
We profiled Ejerso and Boonstra prior to State XC; here is that Class B article. In addition, click here for a Class C XC profile that included Luke Bonifas.
Class B Girls
800 returning medalists
· Brynn Hirschfeld, 2:17.98 – York (1st)
· Britt Prince, 2:18.79 – Elkhorn North
· Sydney Stodden, 2:19.04 – Elkhorn North
· Talissa Tanquary, 2:19.60 – Sidney
· Hailey Amandus, 2:20.37 – Blair
· Madison Seiler, 2:22.66 – Gering
1600 returning medalists
· Brynn Hirschfeld, 5:14.01 – York (1st)
· Julia Karmazin, 5:18.27 – Elkhorn North
· Olivia Lawrence, 5:18.79 – Platteview
· Kassidy Stuckey, 5:18.83 – York
· Madison Seiler, 5:23.06 – Gering
· Lindee Henning, 5:26.21 - Ogallala
3200 returning medalists
· Julia Karmazin, 11:14.36 – Elkhorn North (1st)
· Madison Seiler, 11:23.91 – Gering
· Brynn Hirschfeld, 11:41.73 – York
· Kassidy Stuckey, 11:45.45 – York
· Lindee Henning, 11:53.27 – Ogallala
The Class B girls race may be one of the most unpredictable fields this season. Brynn Hirschfeld of York won the 800/1600 titles and was third in the 3200 last spring but plays volleyball in the fall, so we don’t have a recent comparison of her to other competitors. Julia Karmazin of Elkhorn North chose track over golf last spring and, to her surprise, won the 3200 and finished 3rd in the 1600 as a freshman. Britt Prince has the type of athleticism that shines in the 800 but, as possibly the most heavily-recruited basketball player in Nebraska, she has quite a few distractions.
Madison Seiler of Gering, a two-time State XC champ, may be the biggest wild card. She broke her ankle on July 1st while playing basketball, resumed limited running on September 8th, and won the Class B XC title on October 22nd. Freshman Kendall Zavala and sophomore Ellie Thomas of Norris had great seasons, finishing 2nd and 5th at State, and Zavala has yet to find her ceiling. Kassidy Stuckey had a great fall, finishing 7th at State, and has a good chance to earn two more medals in 2022. Gabriela Calderon of Bennington and Anika Richards of Skutt finished 3rd and 4th at State XC, respectively, and Calderon was competitive during the indoor season. Sam Rodewald of McCook was an absolute beast in the meets leading up to State XC and was our co-favorite with Madison Seiler before finishing 8th. I haven’t met many athletes with Samantha’s work ethic, so look for the junior to make her mark this spring.
Looking at State XC results for Class C, Ogallala’s Lindee Henning ran a 19:24 at Kearney to finish 2nd, and that time was faster than Seiler’s winning time in Class B. She broke 19:00 twice in the fall and should compete well in the 1600 and 3200. Talissa Tanquary of Sidney had an impressive sophomore season in XC, finishing 4th at State. Just like the boys’ competition, there are no shortage of girls who could throw down big times this year. I think it will take sub-5:15 and sub-11:05 to win State.
The biggest wild card of any class at any distance is Keeli Green of Arlington. She was a sprinter and jumper last spring but decided to try her hand at distance running in June. Roughly four months after she ran her first mile, she won the Class C XC title - and was one of the five fastest girls in the state regardless of class. She did not compete in any distance races over the winter but did jump 18' in the long jump, which was the best mark of the open indoor season. I've been told that Keeli may try all three distance races this season at some pont, but she seems best suited for the 800 and 1600 due to her extraordinary athleticism. If both are healthy, I would expect an epic battle between Seiler and Green at the State meet.
We profiled Seiler, Stuckey and Rodewald prior to State XC; here is that story. We also profiled Keeli Green and Lindee Henning as part of the Class C preview; that article is here.
Class C Boys
800 returning medalists
· Logan Lebo, 1:58.82 – Lincoln Lutheran (freshman)
· Ben Alberts, 1:59.52 – GICC
· Carson Arens, 2:01.32 – Cedar Catholic
1600 returning medalists
· Carson Noecker, 4:23.52 – Cedar Catholic
· Kolter VanPelt, 4:36.99 – Stanton
· Abraham Larson, 4:43.74 – Stanton
· Garrett Parr, 4:44.59 – St. Cecilia
3200 returning medalists
· Carson Noecker, 9:24.56 – Cedar Catholic
· Ty Schlueter, 10:15.78 – Ainsworth
· Ben Hammond, 10:16.73 – Norfolk Catholic
· Grant Lander, 10:19.91 – Homer
· Abraham Larson, 10:20.45 - Stanton
Holden Ruse (UNL, 800 champ) and Payton Davis (UNK, 1600 champ) have moved on, but Carson Noecker looms large over the State meet. He’s a three-time State XC champ and, to our knowledge, has lost just twice during high school: to Connor Arens of Crofton during Carson’s freshman XC season and to Payton Davis in last year’s State 1600. Carson is our favorite for the 1600 and 3200, where we expect him to improve upon his PRs of 4:23 and 9:24. Most of his closest competitors at State XC will compete in Class B in track, but these Class C XC medalists should be in the State track mix: Dyami Berridge of Winnebago, Carter Hohlen of Lincoln Christian, Nolan May of Arlington, Wells of St. Paul, Elliott Reitz of Milford, and Logan Lebo of Lincoln Lutheran. Lebo finished 5th in the 400 and 3rd in the 800 as a freshman, and he should be stronger with another year of growth.
Ty Schlueter of Ainsworth won the Class D XC title in 16:40, which was faster than every Class C runner except Carson Noecker. While Ty may not challenge Noecker for a track title, he’s our pick for the silver medal in the 1600 and 3200. We’re certain he will significantly improve upon his track PRs of 4:55 and 10:15. Grant Lander (UNK) of Homer had a breakout season in the fall, finishing 3rd at Class D State, and we expect him to medal this spring in multiple events if he continues his momentum. He has a leg up on the four Stanton and Norfolk Catholic competitors who medaled at State XC, but they will also be in the mix.
We wrote about Carson Noecker in our Class C State XC preview here, and we wrote about Ty Schleuter in the Class D State XC preview here.
Class C Girls
800 returning medalists
· Jordyn Arens, 2:18.21 – Crofton (1st)
· Bryn McNair, 2:18.24 – Chase County
· Chaney Nelson, 2:20.79 – Oakland-Craig
· Laney Kathol, 2:20.84 – Cedar Catholic
· Alayna Vargas, 2:21.85 – St. Cecilia
· Sydney Emanuel, 2:22.17 – North Bend Central
· Kaitlyn Mlnarik, 2:22.42 – Archbishop Bergan
1600 returning medalists
· Jordyn Arens, 5:14.72 – Crofton (1st)
· Alayna Vargas, 5:24.84 – St. Cecilia
· Brekyn Kok, 4:27.52 – Cornerstone Christian
· Danie Parriott, 5:27.65 – Conestoga
· Kaitlyn Mlnarik, 5:30.29 – Fremont Bergan
3200 returning medalists
· Jordyn Arens, 11:16.04 – Crofton
· Alayna Vargas, 11:47.23 – St. Cecilia
· Danie Parriott, 12:11.35 – Conestoga
· Brekyn Kok, 12:18.05 – Cornerstone Christian
· Hannah Swanson, 12:20.17 – Nebraska Christian
For Class C girls, we expect a mix of old and new. Jordyn Arens swept all three distance events, winning by 10 seconds in the 1600 and 31 seconds in the 3200. She had a much closer race in the 800, beating 400 champ Bryn McNair of Chase County by just 0.03 seconds. Given that Arens was has been dominant in Class D XC in first two years, winning in 19:06 and 19:11, she is our favorite to repeat in the two longer distances. We're less confident in our pick in the 800 due to McNair's success in 2021; she was undefeated in the 400 and her only loss in the 800 was at the State meet. With 7 of 8 medalists returning in the 800 - and 20 of 24 qualifiers returning - and just over a 4-second gap between 1st and 8th, this could be the most competitive distance of the three races. Laney Kathol of Cedar Catholic, who medaled in the 400/800 last spring, is also one of the few returning medalists who is not a cross country runner - which isn't a liability in her preferred races.
Danie Parriott of Conestoga ran all three races in 2021, medaling in two of three. Kaitlyn Mlnarik of Fremont Bergan finished 8th in the 800 and 1600; she does not compete in XC but is expected to be just as good this spring. Sixteen of 24 qualifiers return in the 1600, and 17 return (including the top 5) in the 3200.
In terms of rising stars, the Class D XC results shed some light. Hannah Swanson, a sophomore at Nebraska Christian, finished 2nd behind Arens at State XC, and Hannah and Alayna Vargas of Hastings St. Cecilia were ranked 2nd and 3rd for much of the XC season. Ainsworth teammates Katherine Kerrigan (6th) and freshman Emma Kennedy (12th) were solid last fall, as were the Frasher sisters from David City Aquinas; sophomore Gianna finished 8th and freshman Miriam 9th.
We wrote about Jordyn and Hannah in our Class D XC preview here.
Class D Boys
800 returning medalists
· Calvin Johnson, 2:04.51 – Axtell (3rd)
· Thomas Muldoon, 2:05.02 – Potter-Dix
· Calvin Finley, 2:05.33 – Ansley-Litchfield
· Alexx Winkleman, 2:05.41 – Osceola
1600 returning medalists
· Addison Smith, 4:38.36 – Wausa (2nd)
· Trey Robertson, 4:38.54 – Wallace
· Trevor Kuncl, 4:39.47 – Mullen
· Jarrett Miles, 4:46.24 – NP St. Pat’s
3200 returning medalists
· Trey Robertson, 10:06.04 – Wallace (1st)
· Trevor Kuncl, 10:08.02 – Mullen
· Addison Smith, 10:20.32 – Wausa
· Jarrett Miles, 10:21.48 – NP St. Pats
· Jordan Mosel, 10:23.22 – Plainview
The Class D distance events graduated over half of the 800/1600 field while the 3200 field is a little deeper, with 15 qualifiers returning. Trevor Kuncl (Concordia) of Mullen has had a consistent high school career but took it to a new level last fall when he finished 2nd (16:55) at State behind Ty Schlueter of Ainsworth (who competes in Class C in track). Addison Smith of Wausau earned two medals at 2021 State and finished 18th at 2021 Class C XC under the Bloomfield-Wausua banner. Jarrett Miles of NP St. Pat's had a great XC season, finishing 6th in Class D, and we're confident he'll that he'll improve upon his 4:46/10:21 PRs. We don't believe that Trey Robertson of Wallace, the defending champion in the 3200, competes in high school XC - so he's the wild card in the field.
Calvin Johnson of Axtell is the fastest returner in the 800 and also has a 52.87 PR in the 400. Axtell has a strong XC program but Calvin is a football/basketball player, which fits well with the 400/800 lifestyle. Calvin Finley of Ansley-Litchfield and Alexx Winkleman of Osceola are also 400/800 specialists.
We wrote about Trevor Kuncl in our Class D XC preview here.
Class D Girls
800 returning medalists
· Maeli Meier, 2:23.84 – Overton (2nd)
· Cameran Jansky, 2:29.31 – Exeter-Milligan
· Christina Martinson, 2:29.83 – Wausa (Bloomfield in XC)
· Addison Neal, 2:30.15 – Alma
· Julianna Maxfield, 2:20.16 – Fullerton
1600 returning medalists
· Kylee Dubas, 5:41.93 – Fullerton (2nd)
· Julianna Maxfield, 5:42.69 – Fullerton
· Paige Drueke, 5:45.23 – Boyd County
3200 returning medalists
· Callie Coble, 12:13.74 – Mullen (1st)
· Kate Stienike, 12:22.83 – NP St. Pats (2nd)
· Darla Nelson, 12:23.21 – Wausa (3rd)
· Ella Simon, 12:45.20 – FC Sacred Heart
The Class D girls field is deep, with 19 of the 2021 qualifiers returning in 2022. Callie Coble of Mullen is the only returning champion, and she had a solid XC season before finishing 15th at the Class D State XC meet. Kate Stienike of NP St. Pats ran well all XC season before finishing 16th at State, and we expect her to be in top form this spring Darla Nelson of Wausau had a great XC season, finishing sixth in Class C for Bloomfield-Wausa. Falls City Sacred Heart doesn't field a cross country team, and Ella Simon will likely have a slow start to the track season since FCSH just won a State basketball title last week. Julianna Maxfield and Kyla Dubas of Fullerton had great State meets last spring and finished 23rd and 34th, respectively, at the Class D State XC meet in October.
The top finishers from the XC meet did not compete at the 2021 State T&F meet. Freshman Peyton Paxton of Mullen finished 3rd at Class D XC and ran her best at the end of the season. Payton Gerken of McCool Junction only ran two races during the Spring 2021 track season but finished 4th at 2021 Class D XC. Jessica Opfer (Dordt) of Hartington-Newcastle ran well in XC before finishing 33rd at State, and she qualified in both the 1600 and 3200 last spring.
In the 800, there are no XC results for Maeli Meier, Cameran Jansky or Addison Neal. Meier medaled in both the 400 and 800 last spring and is the favorite this year due to her wide margin of victory in 2021. I am guessing that all three girls are three-sport athletes, and that usually is an advantage in the 800.
Did you find any errors in this article? We know there are likely a few, so shoot us a DM on Twitter or Facebook, or e-mail us at jayslagle@hotmail.com. In addition, we have surprisingly few college commitments for throwers at our list at https://www.preprunningnerd.com/post/class-of-2022-commitment-list, so let us know if we've missed someone.
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Originally written for and posted at www.preprunningnerd.com by Patrick Grosserode.
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