The Newton High School girls’ cross country team achieved an impressive 11th place finish at the Dan Huston/Steve Johnson Invitational held at Wartburg College on September 30, 2023. This competition featured a field of 25 teams, including several highly ranked programs. The Cardinals’ strong performance, culminating in a total of 308 points, showcased their continued development throughout the season.
Head coach Rachelle Tipton expressed her pride in the team’s progress. “The team keeps progressing in the right direction,” she stated. “Whether it was season-best times, very close to season bests or running faster than this meet last year, the athletes are showing the work they put in.”
The Cardinals were led by Alexis Sorensen, who finished 29th with a time of 20 minutes, 0.9 seconds. Close behind was Audrey Muckler, who secured 31st place in 20:07.3. Talia Friedman also made her mark, finishing 78th with a time of 21:56.8, earning one of the top 80 medals. The other scoring runners for Newton included Sarah Malow and Alivia Kingery, who finished 97th and 105th, respectively.
Strong Competition and Notable Performances
The event saw the top-ranked teams in their respective classes compete fiercely. Pleasant Valley, ranked No. 1 in Class 4A, won the meet with a total of 44 points, narrowly edging out Class 3A’s No. 1 Pella, which scored 56 points. Completing the top five were Mount Vernon-Lisbon (150 points), Linn-Mar (179 points), and Decorah (186 points).
Lynnville-Sully High School, ranked No. 9 in Class 1A, finished 19th overall with 499 points. The team was led by Emma Parkinson, who placed 51st with a time of 20:54.2. Other scoring runners included Breah Lowry (95th), Mandeesa Vos (103rd), Peyton Sharp (127th), and Katelyn Nikkel (188th). Nikkel, dealing with some knee inflammation, participated to support her team’s scoring.
The competitive atmosphere of the meet provided valuable experience for both teams. “The purpose of going up to a meet like this with a big field of runners and lots of spectators was to give them exposure to that type of environment a few weeks ahead of their state qualifying meet and hopefully state meet,” stated Darin Arkema, head coach of Lynnville-Sully. He noted that the team faced challenges, including volleyball conflicts and lingering injuries, but the athletes gave it their all against a predominantly larger school competition.
A Look Ahead
With the season advancing, both teams are focused on their upcoming state qualifying meets. The results from the Wartburg Invitational indicate a positive trend for Newton, as they have been improving their times and overall performances. “They all gave an amazing effort today,” Tipton remarked. “The runners today were pretty close to 100 percent back to healthy, which is always a big help.”
The success of the meet not only reflects the hard work of the athletes but also sets a promising tone for the remainder of the season. The next challenge will be crucial as the teams aim to qualify for state competitions later this fall.
In the individual race, Joley Sullivan of Davenport Central took home the top honor, winning the girls’ race with a time of 17:47.1, followed closely by Marissa Ferebee of Pella, who finished in 17:49.2. This level of competition highlights the caliber of athletes participating and sets an exciting stage for the future of cross country in the region.
