NV runners debut in Sept. 5 at Redfield

The Nodaway Valley cross country teams will be in action soon as the first meet of the season is Thursday, Sept. 5 at the Wildcat Invite, hosted by West Central Valley in Redfield.

Preseason preparations are well underway for head coach Brooke Wilson and assistant coach David Swanson. Summer running programs have ended as the preseason portion of the season is underway.

Three athletes make up the Wolverine girl’s roster this season. They are seniors Tia Bower, Jazz Christensen and sophomore Kaylee Van Horn. There are no juniors and no freshmen on the team this year.

The Wolverines did not have enough runners to place as a team last year at the Pride of Iowa Conference meet. The Wolverines did have one top-10-place winner at the POI meet, which was Christensen, who was eighth overall, in a time of 23:24.

On the boys side, the Wolverines have six runners out this season. There are no juniors or seniors, making the Wolverine Six one of the youngest teams in Southwest Iowa.

Sophomores out are Haden Colton, Luke Kading and Paul Kading. Freshmen are Cherubim Mercado, Fynn Thompson and Gabe Winkelmann.

Nodaway Valley placed second at the Pride of Iowa Conference meet last year in Lenox. The Wolverines were second behind Martensdale-St. Marys, who won with 34, while NV had 43. The Wolverines graduated POI runner-up Malachi Broers, who crossed the finish line in 18:49, but return a pair of top-10 finishers in Colton and Paul Kading, who finished in 19:38 and 19:42, respectively.

Later on last season, the Wolverines took fourth at the Class 1A State Qualifying Meet in Leon, with a team score of 100.

A longer look at this season’s schedule sees the Wolverines hosting a meet Oct. 7 and the 2024 Pride of Iowa Conference meet is scheduled for Oct. 15 at Mount Ayr.