IOWA STATE MEET

Dowling Catholic Puts Best Performance Together At The Right Time To Win Iowa State Meet

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

It wasn't always easy for Dowling Catholic of West Des Moines this fall. There were losses, to Cedar Falls and to Ankeny and to Class 3A Gilbert. 

But on Friday at the Iowa State Championship meet at Kennedy Park in Fort Dodge, Dowling Catholic's boys won the Class 4A team title for the third straight year. Dowling Catholic scored 72 points, Cedar Falls took second with 84 points and Ankeny was third with 102. (Gilbert won the 3A title). 

Ankeny's Ethan Zuber won the 4A boys final in 15:07.7. Dowling Catholic put its five scorers, led by Jack Flori's fourth place, in the top 24. 

In 4A girls action, Addison Dorenkamp of Valley West De Moines put down the fastest time of any girl at the state meet, winning in a time of 17:41.5. The Johnston girls won the 4A title led by Olivia Verde’s runner-up finish in 17:50.7. 

Calamus-Wheatland’s Noelle Steines won her third consecutive Class 1A crown. Steines covered the course in a time of 18:22. Madrid won the team title.

Woodbine Community’s Landon Bendgen was also a repeat winner, finishing in a time of 15:55.3. In the 1A team race, while Lake Mills tallied 11 points for the victory, the Ankeny Christian boys made history taking part in the first state meet in program history. The team finished ninth. 

Bedford’s Eli Johnson won the 1A wheelchair race in 28:08.6. 

Without Paityn Noe, now a freshman at Arkansas, in the way, Pella’s Marissa Ferebee won the individual 3A girls title in 18:38.6 on Saturday, leading her team to repeat title. Pella paced four runners in the top 30. 

Pella also had the boys individual winner, Canaan Dunham, as he crossed the line in 15:18.5. Gilbert edged out Pella for the team championships 57-63, with five runners in the top 20. 

Sumner-Fredericksburg’s Hillary Trainor claimed the girls 2A individual title in 18:09.5, dethroning three-time champion Danielle Hostetler of Mid-Prairie Wellman. In the boys race, Mid-Prairie’s Emmett Swartzentruber won, edging out Denver’s Neal Pinter, 15:51-15:53.9. 

The Des Moines Christian girls and boys swept the 2A team titles. 

Team Champions 

Class 4A - Dowling Catholic boys 72 points, Johnston girls 107 points - RESULTS

Class 3A - Gilbert boys 57 points, Pella girls 80 points - RESULTS

Class 2A -  Des Moines Christian boys 63 points, Des Moines Christian girls 101 points - RESULTS

Class 1A -  Lake Mill boys 111 points, Madrid girls 97 points - RESULTS