The junior duo of Colton Alberts and Blake Wilmesmeier delivered exceptional performances at the Iowa High School State Cross Country Championships on October 28, 2023. Their strong finishes helped the Lynnville-Sully boys’ team achieve its best-ever result at the state level, placing 10th overall at the Lakeside Municipal Golf Course in Fort Dodge.
Both runners executed near-perfect races, starting conservatively and maintaining a competitive pace. Darin Arkema, head coach of the Lynnville-Sully cross country team, highlighted the importance of their leadership. “Those two are our running leaders and as juniors, they are vocal leaders now, too,” he stated. The team entered the meet ranked 13th but exceeded expectations significantly.
With a total of 245 points, the Hawks narrowly missed ninth place, trailing South Winneshiek by just one point. They outperformed several teams, including Van Buren County and Beckman Catholic, showcasing a remarkable team effort.
Alberts finished 10th in the 5K race with a career-best time of 16 minutes, 39 seconds, marking a 24-second improvement from his previous state appearance. This achievement not only earned him a spot on the all-state deck but also established a new record for the fastest time by a male runner from Lynnville-Sully at the state meet. “It feels amazing. It’s awesome,” Alberts said. “Our goal was to be the highest finishing team ever, and we did that.”
Wilmesmeier also shone, securing second team all-state honors with a 20th-place finish in 16:58.2, a personal best by 52 seconds. “I paced off him for about the first two miles and tried to stay with him as long as I could,” Wilmesmeier commented, referencing Alberts. His strong finish further solidified the Hawks’ reputation at the championship.
Girls’ Team Performance and Challenges
While the boys’ team celebrated its historic achievement, the Lynnville-Sully girls faced a challenging day. Competing at the state meet for the second consecutive season, the Hawks finished 15th with 287 points, tying with Wapsie Valley but finishing behind due to their sixth runner’s performance.
Junior Emma Parkinson highlighted her personal success with a 34th-place finish in a career-best time of 20:23.4. “I wanted to be top 40 so I got that. This year I wanted to make it as a team and as an individual so I feel pretty proud at this moment,” she noted. Despite her individual success, the overall team placement fell short of their goals.
The boys’ team championship was claimed by Oakland Riverside, which finished with 54 points. Following closely were Lake Mills and Ankeny Christian, who placed second and third, respectively. The competition showcased impressive individual performances, with Hugh Conway of South Winneshiek winning the boys’ title in 15:50.7.
Coach Arkema reflected on the day, emphasizing that rankings are merely numbers. “When we got here, Ankeny Centennial was 13th ranked in 4A coming in, and they got third place,” he said. “It tells me we can do this again.”
As the team prepares for future seasons, the resilience shown by the runners, particularly the juniors, offers hope for continued improvement. “Tenth place and only losing one senior tells me we can do this again,” Arkema added.
The state meet not only highlighted the achievements of individual athletes but also showcased the strength and potential of the Lynnville-Sully cross country program. With a strong performance from the juniors, the Hawks look forward to future competitions and the pursuit of even greater success.
