Noelle Steines makes immediate footprints for Tipton girls’ cross country

IOWA CITY — Noelle Steines ran alone at the front of the pack, nearly a minute ahead of the field.

But she no longer is a solo act.

“It’s awesome having a team to run with,” she said Thursday afternoon, after debuting her senior cross country season with the girls’ individual title at the Bob Brown Invitational at Kickers Soccer Park.

Steines was a three-time Class 1A individual state champion for Calamus-Wheatland. The week after her third title, late last October, she open-enrolled at 2A Tipton.

“There are so many kids on this team,” Steines said after breaking from the pack quickly and finishing the slightly-longer-than-5K course in 19 minutes, 36 seconds. “We probably have 12 or 13 girls and a ton of guys.

“It’s nice to have somebody to say hi to that I know.”

Steines also is a multiple state champion in track and field. But the grass in the fall… that’s what she enjoys most.

“I like cross country better because it’s one race,” she said. “The meet goes so fast. We’re done quick, then I get to go eat at (Pancheros).”

Cascade’s Hallie Kelchen ran with the chase pack for the first half of the race, then set off on her own and finished second in 20:33.

“The second lap, I knew it was go time,” said Kelchen, a junior and a seventh-place 1A finisher at state last year. “I felt the urge to go.”

Led by a 3-6 finish from freshman Kinley Mai and senior Sydney Dee, Solon captured the girls’ team title with 54 points. Clear Creek Amana was second with 71, followed by Tipton (101).

Steines has a legit training partner in Laura Owen, who finished fourth: “She’s a beast,” Steines said.

Iowa City Liberty wins boys’ team race

Iowa City Liberty got a 2-3-4 placing from Keegan Decker, Jacob Madsen and Noah Gregoire, and ruled the boys’ team race with 40 points. Clear Creek Amana was second with 70.

“We’re still setting our dynamic, our team chemistry,” Madsen said. “And we’re trying to establish our fourth and fifth runners.”

The Liberty trio ran in 16:39, 16:40 and 16:41. Western Dubuque star Quentin Nauman was the champion in 16:31.

“We do this every day, running together like this,” Madsen said.

“It’s great to see how the team can put so many top runners up there, and compete together,” said Decker, a sophomore. “I’m not as influential as (Madsen and Gregoire) in leadership, but I do my best to keep the sophomores and freshmen accountable.”

Girls Results

TEAMS

1. Solon 54, 2. Clear Creek Amana 71, 3. Tipton 101, 4. Washington 112, 5. Iowa City Liberty 127, 6. Monticello 138, 7. Iowa City Regina 198, 8. Western Dubuque 207, 9. Cascade 213, 10. Anamosa 239.

INDIVIDUALS

1. Noelle Steines (Tipton), 19:36; 2. Hallie Kelchen (Cascade), 20:33; 3. Kinley Mai (Solon), 20:48; 4. Laura Owen (Tipton), 20:55; 5. Ava Remley (Anamosa), 20:59; 6. Sydney Dee (Solon), 21:05; 7. Leah Koehler (Monti), 21:22; 8. Peyton Ries (Monti), 21:24; 9. Kira Barker (CCA), 21:25; 10. Iris Dahl (Wash), 21:34.

Boys Results

TEAMS

1. Iowa City Liberty 40, 2. Clear Creek Amana 70, 3. Western Dubuque 131, 4. Anamosa 137, 5. Solon 139, 6. Tipton 139, 7. Washington 164, 8. Monticello 174, 9. Springville 217, 10. Cascade 302, 11. Iowa City Regina 321, 12. Clinton Prince of Peace 328, 13. West Liberty 359, 14. North Cedar 394.

INDIVIDUALS

1. Quentin Nauman (WDbq), 16:31; 2. Keegan Decker (ICL), 16:39; 3. Jacob Madsen (ICL), 16:40; 4. Noah Gregoire (ICL), 16:41; 5. Isaac Sorensen (CCA), 17:21; 6. Aedan Althoff (Monti), 17:30; 7. Brock Hilsman (CCA), 17:33; 8. Andrew Rees (Wash), 17:46; 9. Tyler Alderton (Wash), 17:48; 10. Brody Staner (WDbq), 17:58.

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