Newton’s Muckler, Lenz ready for 3A state cross country

Newton sophomore Cooper Lenz and freshman Audrey Muckler return to the course where they both realized making the state cross country meet was possible on Friday.

The Cardinal duo put together strong performances against a tough field during the Fort Dodge Invitational earlier this month and they both hope to finish their seasons with personal-best times after the 3A boys’ and girls’ 5K state races.

“I’m hoping to set a PR on Friday,” Lenz said. “If I’m able to do that, I will walk away from the state meet happy.”

Lenz posted a career-best time of 16 minutes, 55.33 seconds at last year’s conference meet running for East Marshall.

He went under 17 minutes for the first time this season in Fort Dodge and then posted a season-best time of 16:57.28 at last week’s state qualifying meet in Pella.

Muckler posted a time of 20:22.2 in Fort Dodge earlier this month and her career best came last week at the 3A state qualifier. She’s the first Newton freshman female to qualify for the state meet since Rachel Rhoads did it back in 2015.

“I’d like to break 20 minutes and finish in the top 50,” Muckler said. “Those are realistic goals.”

Both Lenz and Muckler plan to get out fast to avoid early congestion behind a field that will be larger than normal.

Muckler figures her adrenaline will push her out fast anyway, and Lenz wants to get out early because it makes it a lot easier for him to maintain or gain position.

“The strategy is like any other race we’ve already ran this year that’s stacked, just start off in a good position so you don’t have to spend all race being stuck behind groups and trying to pass,” Newton head boys cross country coach Steve Weeks said. “State at the 3A level is going to have a larger number of talented runners than what he ran last year in 2A so he can’t take last years finish and compare it to this years.”

Lenz finished 51st in last year’s 2A state race. His time was 17:14.4, but the 16:59 he ran in Fort Dodge earlier this season would have placed him top 30 in last year’s race and 49th in the 3A race.

The Cardinal sophomore hopes his experience last year will only help him with nerves and knowing what to expect this year.

“He’s already ran state as a freshman, and this year alone he’s already ran bigger meets like at St Louis, and more difficult races, like the first Fort Dodge meet and the Little Hawkeye Conference race,” Weeks said. “He should walk into Friday like it’s just any other race.”

Muckler doesn’t have the same advantage of running at state like Lenz does, but she hopes competing on the Lakeside Municipal Golf Course earlier this month can help her.

“I am nervous,” Muckler said. “I was confused about parts of the course last time so that shouldn’t be an issue now. There’s going to be a lot of spectators everywhere. I think that will help me in more than one way.”

Muckler will start the girls’ 3A state race from Box 13. Joining her at the starting line will be No. 20 Tierney Carter of Oskaloosa and No. 13 Isabelle Hardin of Maquoketa. Carter and Hardin both were top 30 finishers at last year’s state meet.

There also will be a pair of ranked runners from two state qualifying teams in the boxes on each side of her.

Newton head girls cross country coach Rachelle Tipton has a few girls in mind Muckler can run with, including Spencer senior Peyton Morey.

“(Morey’s) trending in the same direction as Audrey and she went 19:51 and 19:59 in a few recent races,” Tipton said. “I think top 50 is realistic and if (Muckler) breaks 20 minutes, that could put her in the top 30 or 40.

“I’ve identified who she can maybe run with but ultimately she just needs to run her race.”

Muckler believed she could make it to state in her first season after posting a near top-50 finish in the stacked Fort Dodge meet earlier this month.

Tipton didn’t need until that meet to know Muckler could make it, but her performance on the state course did give her confirmation.

“She’s got that tenacity and is mindful, too,” Tipton said. “She makes notes on the course as we walk it and jots down positive things, too.”

The hardest part of training is over for Muckler. Tipton said the week leading up to the state meet is all about making sure she has fresh legs and staying sharp for the final race.

“We’re mostly tapering and making sure my legs aren’t tired for the race,” Muckler said. “And getting into the right mindset.”

Lenz begins his final race of the season in Box 8. Joining him will be South Tama County’s Barrett Jesina, fifth-ranked Austin Soldwisch of Waverly-Shell Rock and No. 21 Joel Ramirez-Parra of Storm Lake.

Ramirez-Parra was 24th in last year’s 3A boys’ state race, and Soldwisch placed 33rd.

Weeks isn’t concerned about where Lenz starts. The long straightaway to begin the race makes the starting line a bit irrelevant, but Lenz is excited to start the race with some of the top ranked runners in 3A.

“Some I have already ran against in prior races, but it should bring the best out of me,” Lenz said.

The 3A girls’ state race is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course inside Kennedy Park in Fort Dodge. The boys’ state race is slated for 11:15 a.m.

The top 15 finishers in each state race earn medals. The 3A awards ceremony starts at noon.