Charting the NXN Heartland Regionals, 11/13
The Nike Cross Heartland Regionals, Sioux Falls, SD, Sunday November 13 (http://www.runnerspace.com/nxnhl) brings together the top high school teams and individuals from Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin as a qualifier for the Nike Cross Nationals Championships, Portland, Oregon, Saturday December 3.
Only the top two teams and five individuals (not on those teams) from this Heartland Regionals (among eight regionals nationally) advance to Nationals. This article is an attempt to highlight the top teams and individuals from each state, and then suggest most likely national qualifiers.
(By state high school federation rules, high school teams and individuals can not officially participate in post-high school season competitions representing their schools. Therefore, high school teams will technically be representing “clubs” (e.g., Tiger XC club) and individuals competing “unattached” in the regional and national NXN meets; but we’ll identify these clubs/individuals by the associated high schools.)
Top Teams And Individuals From Each State (contenders for national qualifying)
* - favorites to advance
** - too close to call between four boys teams
# - individuals favored to advance with team
IOWA
GIRLS
Teams:
* Dowling Catholic - 4A State Champion, 2nd in Heartland Regionals 2010
Linn-Mar, Marion - 2nd, 4A State Championships
Pleasant Valley - 3rd, 4A State Championships
Individuals:
* Rebekah Topham (9), Griswold - 2A State Champion, 7th at Heartland Regionals 2010
# Grace Gibbons (9), Dowling Catholic, 4A State Champion
Madison Waymire (10), Dallas Center-Grimes, 3A State Champion
# Karissa Schwiezer (10), Dowling Catholic, 9th at Heartland Regionals 2010
BOYS
Teams:
**Dowling Catholic - 4A State Champion
Cedar Falls - 2nd, 4A State Championships
Individuals:
* Ben Anderson (11), Valley, WDM; 4A State Champion
Zach Buchheit (12), Pella, 3A State Champion
Josh Evans (10), Linn-Mar, Marion, 2nd, 4A State Championships
Daniel Huff (12), Waverly-Shell Rock
Cole Decker (12), Dowling Catholic
KANSAS
GIRLS
Teams:
Shawnee Mission Northwest, 6A State Champions
Shawnee Mission West, 2nd, 6A State Championships
Wichita-Carroll, 5A State Champions
Individuals:
Alli Cash (11), Shawnee Mission West; 6A State Champion
Kaelyn Balch (11), Wichita-Carroll, 5A State Champion
BOYS
Shawnee Mission South, 6A State Champions
Shawnee Mission Northwest, 2nd, 6A State Championships
Shawnee Mission West, 3rd, 6A State Championships
Individual:
* Jacob Morgan (12), Washburn Rural, 6A State Champion
MINNESOTA
GIRLS
Teams:
Monticello - 2A State Champion
Lakeville South - 2nd, 2A State Championships
Individuals:
* Maria Hauger (11), Skakopee, 2A State Champion; 5th at Heartland Regionals 2010
* Jamie Piepenbrug (12), Alexandria, 2nd, 2A State Championships, 3rd at Heartland Regionals 2010
BOYS
Teams:
**Stillwater - 2A State Champion
Burnsville - 2nd, 2A State Championships
Individuals:
* Josh Thorson (12), Wayzata, 2A State Champion, 15th in Heartland Regionals 2010
Riley Macon (12), Rochester Mayo, 2nd, 2A State Championships
Troy Koivisto (12), Dassel-Cokato, 3rd, 2A State Championships
Cole O’Brien (12), Burnsville, 6th at Heartland Regionals 2010
NEBRASKA
GIRLS
Teams:
Millard West - Class A State Champions
Lincoln East - 2nd, Class A State Championships
Kearney - 3rd, Class A State Championships
Individuals:
Jeralyn Poe (9), Lincoln Northstar, Class A State Champion
Sidney Hirsch (11), Millard West, 2nd, Class A State Championships
BOYS
Team:
Kearney, Class A State Champion
Individual:
Isaac Allen (12), Lincoln East; Class A State Champion
NORTH DAKOTA
GIRLS
Teams:
* Fargo Davies, Class A State Champion
Bismarck, 2nd, Class A State Championships
Individuals:
# Tarin Lachowitzer (12), Fargo Davies
Alison Allmer (11), Jamestown
BOYS
Team:
** Bismarck, Class A State Champion
Individual:
* Jake Leingang (11), Bismarck, Class A State Champion, 4th in Heartland Regionals 2010
SOUTH DAKOTA
GIRLS
Teams:
Yankton, 2A State Champions
Rapid City Central, 2nd, State Championships
Individual:
* Alex Hess (12), Sioux Falls Roosevelt, 2A State Champion
BOYS
Teams:
Sioux Falls Roosevelt, 2A State Champions
Sioux Falls Lincoln, 2nd, 2A State Championships
Brandon Valley, 3rd, 2A State Championships
Individuals:
* Tony Smoragiewicz (12), Rapid City Central, 2A State Champion, defending Heartland Regional Champion
Addison DeHaven (10), Brookings, 2nd, 2A State Championships
WISCONSIN
GIRLS
Teams:
Arrowhead - Div. 1 State Champion
Neenah - 2nd Div. 1 State Championships
Dodgeville/Mineral Point - Div. 2 State Champion
Madison West, 3rd, Div. 1 State Championships
Individuals:
* Molly Seidel (12), University Lake, Div. 3 State Champion
Alexandria Fons (10), Franklin, Div. 1 State Champion
BOYS
Teams:
**Arrowhead - Div. 1 State Champion
Individuals –
Chandler Diffee (11), Madison LaFollette, Div. 1 State Champion
Ryan McCoy (11), New Glarus/Monticello, Div. 2 State Champion
Russ Sandvold (12), Arrowhead, 2nd, Div. 1 State Championships
Kyle Lewin (12), Arrowhead, 3rd, Div. 1 State Championships