Strunk qualifies for the state meet

AMES — For the first time since 2021, the Panthers are sending a runner to the state cross country meet in Fort Dodge.

Sophomore Reese Strunk has had incredible improvements over the last week leading to her placing 15th Wednesday in Ames at the state qualifying meet, punching her ticket to state.

“Reese has been our most consistent runner all season,” coach Maggie Arnold said. “She put in the work this summer and has come ready to race every meet. I am ecstatic that her hard work paid off with a trip to state.”

A week prior to the state qualifying meet, Strunk’s personal best time was 21:54, a time that would have placed her 42nd Wednesday. At the Hawkeye 10 conference meet last Thursday in Carroll, Strunk ran 21:15, smoking her previous best by nearly 40 seconds.

Wednesday, she did it again. Taking advantage of the spread out, fairly flat course, Strunk flew to a 19:54, two minutes faster than her PR from a week previous and 1:20 faster than her time at the H10 meet.

“It was definitely a hard race; I felt like I was sprinting the whole thing,” Strunk said. “But I had that drive. I knew I wanted to make it to state and that’s what carried me.”

Only Braelyn Baker has logged a faster state qualifying time for Creston, a 19:42 in 2019.

This was only the second time this season Strunk crossed the finish line first for the Panthers.

“When I passed Maggie the first time, Payton [Davis], Cora [Smith] and I were running together,” Strunk said. “I knew I couldn’t give up that many places. I said if I have to leave these two, I have to leave these two.”

She will race at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 1 in Fort Dodge.

Teammate Payton Davis came up just shy, placing 19th in 20:32. The time is her personal best by approximately 45 seconds.

Davis is a four-year cross country senior who has been a leader for a girls team that took off this year.

“I was really hoping Payton could crack that top 15 at Gilbert, but that was an extremely fast field,” Arnold said. “She has been the backbone of our team for the last four years. There is not another kid in our school with the kindness, responsibility and respect that she possesses. She is a wonderful human and will be missed so much next season for not only her talent, but for her leadership, friendship and fun.”

The girls placed fifth out of 12 teams competing. The top three schools send their team to state.

Sioux Center took first in 54 points followed by Gilbert with 72 and MOC-Floyd Valley with 80.

Cora Smith finished third for the Panthers, rounding out a fantastic freshman season. She placed 34th, running 21:23. Though the time wasn’t her best this season, it was one of her faster times.

Junior Maylee Riley closed out her first cross country season with another PR. She ran 22:23 topping her time from the H10 meet by 23 seconds. She placed 51st.

Senior Karter Clayton’s season came to an end with a bang, running a PR of more than a minute. Her H10 time was 23:33, and her time Wednesday was 22:44 — her first time sub-23 minutes.

“Karter has played a varsity role on our team for the last two years. She came out for cross country to improve her fitness for track season,” Arnold said. “The strength she has gained from the 5K distance has definitely carried over to her track career. I cannot wait to see what she will do on the track.”

Freshman Karlie Kruse finished in 23:46, topping her H10 time of 24:15 and running sub-24 for the first time.

Rounding out the Lady Panthers was junior Abby Freeman whose time of 24:38 was her first time sub-25 and a PR of almost 50 seconds.

The boys graduate one senior — Spencer Brown.

“Spencer came out this season to push himself and try something new,” Arnold said. “He is another student-athlete that has incredible character. He has come so far in the short season with the team and we rely on him for leadership on the boys team. We are so grateful he chose to be a part of our team.”

Brown ran 23:19.5, his fastest time of the season by more than a minute.

Sophomore Wyatt Goodenberger led the boys with a 65th-place finish in 18:58. Hector Suazo came in next, placing 73rd in 19:35.

Freshman Austin Jondle ran 19:53 to place 78th while junior Kylen Parsons finished in 21:14. Jondle’s time was a new PR.

Freshman Colt Key ran 22:25, a personal best.

The boys finished 13th in team standings, Gilbert earning a perfect score with all five runners under 16:05. Also advancing in team standings were Sioux Center and MOC-Floyd Valley.

The team also graduates senior manager Savanna Davis. “Savanna, or Coach Davis as we call her, plays the most important role on the team,” Arnold said. “We can trust her to do her managerial duties without any micromanaging from the coaching staff. She has been my manager since her seventh grade year, and we know each other so well that she can predict what I need before I even ask for it... We’re proud to have her.”