Creston’s DeGonia dashes to state

WINTERSET — The streak could have ended this year, but Riley DeGonia wasn’t having it.

Going into Tuesday’s Class 3A State Qualifying Meet at Lakeview Country Club in Winterset, Creston had sent at least one girl to the state cross country meet every year since Emily Wignall in 2009 and 2010. Other girls contributing once or more in that 13-year span were Maria Mostek, Jessica Beatty, Brielle Baker, Braelyn Baker and Payton Davis.

This year, Panther junior Riley DeGonia was considered a contender, coming off a 17th place finish at last week’s Hawkeye Ten Conference meet. But, a top 15 finish to qualify for state would still require a superb performance in a tough 3A field involving three ranked teams.

“Just in looking at girls she had gone head to head with, it was looking like Riley would be about 21st coming in,” Creston coach Maggie Arnold said. “We knew she had a strong race at Hawkeye Ten, so she was prepared to contend.”

She did more than contend.

DeGonia charged near the front in the early going, sitting in seventh place just before the one-mile mark in the 3.1-mile race. She adjusted that aggressive pace, settled into 13th, and then ran past one girl in the final stretch for a 12th place finish in a personal best time of 20:25.

On the same course a year ago in the state qualifying meet, DeGonia was 39th in 22:03.

“I just really wanted to go (to state),” DeGonia said after Tuesday’s race. “At least 13th was my target. I was feeling OK when I was in seventh place at the start, but I thought I went out a little fast, so I backed off and then kept pushing. I was able to pass a girl at the end and got my PR.”

Arnold said it was a masterful job of course management by her junior team leader.

“Riley’s strongest part of her race is the first part,” Arnold said. “She was exactly where she needed to be today at the one mile mark when she was seventh. She doesn’t have the strongest kick, so she needs to get out at the start. She hung onto 11th to 13th place for the rest of the race. With a half mile left I could tell on her face she looked comfortable and I felt she could finish it. She ran an excellent race.”

As a team the Creston girls placed seventh with 192 points. The state qualifying teams were Dallas Center-Grimes (56), North Polk (65) and Harlan (70). Host Winterset was fifth at 122.

After DeGonia, the top Creston runners were Autumn Stafford 36th in 22:12 and Carly Green 46th in 22:37.

DeGonia will participate in the Class 3A girls state meet at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29 at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge.

The Creston boys placed ninth with 253 points. State-ranked teams claimed the three state qualifying team spots led by Dallas Center-Grimes with 33 points, along with North Polk (61) and ADM (75).

Triston Barncastle was the third-highest Panther runner one mile into the race, but steadily moved up and led the team with a 34th place finish in 18:34. Another senior, Tyson Smith, was 38th in 18:41 and Riley Wipperman took 41st in 18:46.

Barncastle, out for cross country for the first time after suffering an ACL tear in his knee over the summer in a wrestling match, was able to run this fall and steadily improved, just like his race strategy.

“I start off pretty slow because I don’t like being in a big crowded area at the start,” Barncastle said. “I like to pass guys, one at a time. Usually I start moving after the first mile and gain confidence by passing guys.”

Arnold said the addition of Barncastle and Smith provided a competitive trio at the top of the lineup, joining Wipperman.

“A lot of times when Creston has a really good male runner there isn’t anyone pushing him,” Arnold said. “It’s been good to have Tyson and Triston out this year and those three guys really pushed each other in practice and made each other better. Tonight Triston really controlled his pace in those first two miles and was strong at the end. There were 12 ranked individuals in the boys race so it was really a loaded field.”

3A State Qualifier

At Winterset

Girls meet

Team scoring (top 3 to state) — 1. Dallas Center-Grimes 56; 2. North Polk 65; 3. Harlan 70; 4. ADM 111; 5. Winterset 122; 6. Atlantic 128; 7. Creston 192; 8. Perry 243; 9. Kuemper Catholic 264; 10. Boone 267; 11 Saydel 319; 12. Webster City 326.

Individual state qualifiers – 1. Geneva Timmerman, ADM, 19:10; 2. Lindsey Sonderman, Harlan, 19:19; 3. Kaia Bieker, Harlan, 19:36; 4. Liza Schaffer, NP, 19:51; 5. Ava Rush, Atlantic, 19:59; 6. Dyllan Kaufman, Wint, 20:01; 7. Abby Bell, NP, 20:04; 8. Hannah LIttle, DCG, 20:05; 9. Meredith McDermott, DCG, 20:11; 10. Maddy Stevens, DCG, 20:14; 11. Claire Pellett, 20:18; 12. Riley DeGonia, Creston, 20:25; 13. Aleah McBee, NP, 20:27; 14. Skyler Blesman, DCG, 20:31; 15. Abbey Angus, DCG, 20:31.

Creston (192) — 12. Riley DeGonia, 20:25; 36. Autumn Stafford, 22:12; 46. Carly Green, 22:37; 48. Emma Pantini, 22:57; 50. Zoe Ralston, 23:05; 55. Peyton Davis, 23:38; 58. Sydney Strunk, 24:00.

Boys meet

Team scoring (top 3 to state) — 1. Dallas Center-Grimes 33; 2. North Polk 61; 3. ADM 75; 4. Kuemper Catholic 107; 5. Winterset 111; 6. Atlantic 170; 7. Boone 225; 8. Harlan 228; 9. Creston 253; 10. Perry 266; 11. Webster City 282; 12. Clarke 288; 13. Saydel 388.

Individual state qualifiers — 1. Aidan Ramsey, DC-G, 15:31; 2. Zach Sporan, NP, 16:09; 3. Cooper Greenslade, ADM, 16:19; 4. Tate McDermott, DC-G, 16:24; 5. Max Sporaa, NP, 16:31; 6. Michael Pottebaum, KC, 16:40; 7. Jacob Evers, DC-G, 16:41; 8. Quinton Kimrey, ADM, 16:46; 9. Drew Engler, Atlantic, 16:46; 10. Ben Every, DC-G, 16:46; 11. Owen Pries, DC-G, 16:49; 12. Alik McIlravy, NP, 16:52; 13. Blake Freese, Winterset, 16:57; 14. Jacob Greving, KC, 16:57; 15. AJ Angus, DC-G, 16:57.

Creston (253) — 34. Triston Barncastle, 18:34; 38. Tyson Smith, 18:41; 41. Riley Wipperman, 18:46; 69. Christian Ahrens, 20:53; 71. Gabe Hopkins, 21:12; 79. Bryce Hull, 22:34.