Baudler makes history, Broers medals at state

FORT DODGE – Like most races, it wasn’t too close at the end for Josh Baudler Saturday afternoon.

The Nodaway Valley product cleaned up in the cross country regular season, running through the competition with a mission in mind – to capture a state title.

As competition elevated toward the end of the season, Baudler got familiar with who he was going to see at the state tournament with state-ranked runners like Sidney’s Noah Jorgenson (No. 7), Southeast Warren’s Randy Jimenez (No. 8), Ogden’s Garrett Buxton (No. 12) and Earlham’s Jayden Dickson (No. 16) all going against Baudler in meets leading up to the state meet Saturday.

Baudler, ranked as the No. 1 runner, trailed some of his best adversaries in Class 1A as the group hit the two mile marker. He sat in fourth, waiting for his move.

Baudler made his title-clinching move, kicking it in gear and pulling away from the field as the group neared the back end of the course. His separation grew past 10 seconds as he hit the final stretch at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course with the finish in sight.

“At the two mile marker is when I really kicked it in and tried to pick it up a little bit,” said Baudler. “Crossing that bridge (on the golf course) I knew I had about 1,000 meters left. Around that curve before the finish I remember looking back and by then I had a pretty good feeling I had it.”

He crossed the line at 16:11 with his arms outstretched, setting a school record time in the process. Fourteen seconds later Jorgenson, who was second to Baudler at both the 1A qualifier and the Ron Landphair Invitational, crossed the line in second.

The title for Baudler makes him the first ever boys champion for the Wolverines in school history and the first individual title holder since Megan Winkelmann’s 2002 title.

After taking second in 2018 by under three seconds to now-Wartburg runner Sean McDermott, Baudler’s emotions ran high knowing his hard work had paid off.

“It’s awesome to be a state champion,” said Baudler. “The feeling is great. I went up to family and to (head coach Darrell Burmeister) after the race and it was really emotional because of all the support we get.”

Teammates and competition who have raced with and against Bauder for the last few years have seen first hand how hard he has worked, how close he has come and what he has done to be named a class champion.

“Josh is one of a kind,” said teammate Toby Bower. “He’s always up there pushing you and wanting the best for you. He’s always trying the hardest and last year was a big upset for him. ... He really wanted it this year and he came out and did what he does.”

“He’s just amazing in cross country. He flies,” said Mount Ayr’s Isaac Timmerman, a local southwest Iowa opponent for Baudler in both the fall and the spring. “I can’t wait to race against him again in track.”

Runner up finish

Amidst the excitement for Baudler’s individual title was the uncertainty of the final scoring for the No. 2 Nodaway Valley boys team. With the Wolverines placing four inside the top-30, the boys were poised for a top-3 finish as a team, with Burmeister noting he’d be surprised if the group wasn’t a placing team.

The unit entered the weekend with every intention on driving home with a first place banner and trophy, but instead went home with second place. The Wolverines scored 107 with top-ranked Madrid scoring 71 as the Class 1A champions.

The improvement from 2018’s eighth place finish is a step in the right direction for Nodaway Valley.

“It’s a privilege. “It’s not what we expected over the last two years, but it’s a lot better than last year,” said Bower. “We’ve got to keep on pushing. It wasn’t quite there (Saturday) and Madrid hit it. Congrats to them.”

Behind Baudler was Tyler Breheny, finishing 22nd with a time of 17:10. Bower was 30th in 17:24 and Ben Breheny was 27th in 17:28.

“The guys ran great today,” said Burmeister. “Tyler and Toby and Ben had to be about 10 seconds from each other and they did great. Our freshman (Doug Berg, 17:53) came under 18 and they did everything I wanted them to.”

When asked last week if there was unfinished business for the program, Baudler was quick to answer there was. When asked Saturday, his teammate Bower agrees.

“Oh yeah, we obviously always want first,” said Bower. “It’s just tough. Last year with eighth and this year with second, but they (Madrid) deserve it. It’s still unfinished business for us.”

“We come to every meet with the mindset that we’re going to win it,” said Baudler. “... With this one, it stings a lot. But, then again, second is second.”

NV girls take eighth, Broers medals

The Nodaway Valley girls had a tough field to go against, but the No. 10 ranked team in Class 1A had a strong finish to its 2019 season.

Leading the way for the Wolverines was Sophia Broers, who medaled with a time of 19:56.7 for 14th in her third trip to state.

Broers was sky high with the finish and her time, two things she set goals for going into the day.

“It feels amazing,” said Broers. “This was my goal (to place) and I also got in at 19 minutes which was my other goal, so it feels amazing. I’m living my dream.”

Her medal Saturday is a sign of her hard work paying off over the last few years, said Burmeister.

“She was the new kid in town and started running. ... Kept on moving up, was around 80th her first year, was 27th last year, so to be all-state (this year), what a progression she has made,” said Burmeister.

Behind Broers was Reagan Weinheimer, who ran a time of 20:44.0 for 38th overall in her second trip to state. In 2018 Weinheimer was 13th across in 20:21.4.

The next NV runners across were Lily Day (76th, 21:33.9), Abby Engles (96th, 22:13.8) and Mallory Kuhns (97th, 22:16.3).

“I thought all of them did an amazing job,” said Broers. “A lot of them got PRs either for their career or for the season and they did an amazing job. I’m so proud of them.”

The girls scored 198 points and placed eighth. Logan-Magnolia was the leading team with a score of 112 and Tri-Center’s Peyton Pogge was the individual winner with a time of 18:45.4.

Class 1A results

Boys teams – 1. Madrid 74; 2. Nodaway Valley 107; 3. Calamus-Wheatland 118; 4. Earlham 119; 5. Maquoketa Valley 209; 6. Denver 211; 7. St. Albert, Council Bluffs 215; 8. South Winneshiek 223; 9. West Fork, Sheffield 223; 10. Pekin 227; 11. Tri-Center Neola 232; 12. Ogden 247; 13. Gehlen Catholic 254; 14. Newman Catholic 260; 15. Saint Ansgar 303.

Girls teams – 1. Logan-Magnolia 112; 2. Hudson 133; 3. AHSTW, Avoca 142; 4. Aplington-Parkersburg 146; 5. Regina, Iowa City 150; 6. Kee, Lansing 164; 7. Denver 183; 8. Nodaway Valley 198; 9. Pekin 211; 10. Van Meter 215; 11. Manson Northwest 233; 12. Madrid 241; 13. Sumner-Fredericksburg 270; 14. St. Edmond, Fort Dodge 277; 15. Prince of Peace Catholic 289.

Boys medalists – 1. Josh Baudler, Nodaway Valley, 16:11; 2. Noah Jorgenseon, Sidney, 16:25; 3. Jason Renze, Madrid, 16:28; 4. Bennett Heisterkamp, St. Albert, CB, 16:33; 5. Randy Kimenez, Southeast Warren, 16:37; 6. Brady Millikin, 16:39; 7. Jayden Dickson, Earlham, 16:39; 8. Garrett Buxton, Ogden, 16:40; 9. Will Roder, Gehlen Catholic, 16:40; 10. Chase Knoche, Calamus-Wheatland, 16:41; 11. Sam Hansen, Hudson, 16:42; 12. Aiden Housman, Wapello, 16:44; 13. Colten Glosser, Pekin, 16:47; 14. Zach Heinm Wilton, 16:48; 15. Zach Dixon, Earlham, 16:49.

Girls medalists – 1. Peyton Pogge, Tri-Center, Neola, 18;54.4; 2. Haley Meyer, Kee, Lansing, 18:51.4; 3. Jalyssa Blazek, Turkey Valley, 18:54.0; 4. Sophia Jungling, Aplington-Parkersburgm 18:54.3; 5. Billie Wagner, South Winneshiek, 19:02.6; 6. Grace Beck, Denver, 19:39.3; 7. Rylee Dunkin, Twin Cedars, 19:43.1; 8. Ryann Portch, AHSTW, 19:47.7; 9. Maddie Moline, Manson Northwest Webster, 19:48.2; 10. Greenlee Smock, Lynville-Sully, 10:49.2; 11. Hunter Jones, North Cedar, Standwood, 19:50.1; 12. Analee Bartels, Regina, Iowa City, 19:50.4; 13. Taylor Sporrer, Logan-Magnolia, 19:52.3; 14. Sophia Broers, Nodaway Valley, 19:56.7; 15. Kylie Morrison, Logan-Magnolia, 20:01.4.

Nodaway Valley boys – 1. Josh Baudler, 16:11, 22. Tyler Breheny 17:10, 30. Toby Bower 17:24, 36. Ben Breheny 17:28, 61. Doug Berg 17:53, 127. Mason Menefee 19:21, 138. Lucas Van Otterloo 20:38.

Nodaway Valley girls – 14. Sophia Broers 19:56.7, 38. Reagan Weinheimer 20:44.0, 76. Lily Day 21:33.9, 96. Abby Engles 21:13.8, 97. Mallory Kuhns 21:16.3, 126. Erin Ford 24:00.2, 134. Madison Van Otterloo 24:29.7.

Other area runners

Class 1A boys – 38. Isaac Timmerman, Mount Ayr, 17:30.

Class 1A girls – 59. Gabrielle Valencia, East Union, 21:18.4