The boys and girls cross country teams traveled to Lakeside Municipal Golf Course in Fort Dodge this past Friday, Nov. 1 to compete in the state cross country meet. The season for both teams culminated in successful results showcasing how AHS continues to produce top level athletes. 

The boys team accomplished an eighth place finish against a competitive field containing the current state record holder Jaden Merrick, a junior from Cedar Falls, who ran against AHS senior Ethan Zuber. Zuber won the meet by a seven second margin. The senior triangle of Tate Brownsberger, Justice Rathje, and Nick Robie finished their senior campaigns strong, fighting as a group to gain places in a tight field of competition.

The trio was followed closely by junior Brett Augustine who ran a first varsity season after recovering from a couple of  injuries which saw him retire the spikes after the second meet of the 2023 season. Also on the boys state team are juniors Ike Smith and Jackson Kaiser. 

The Hawkettes  finished similarly taking seventh place on the heels of senior Drew Beason. Beason placed 14th and will graduate from AHS having placed in the top 15 of the state meet every year since she was a freshman. The future looks bright as senior Makenna Madetzke finished 21st and improved by 28 places from the 2023 state meet. 

Seniors Sophia Graber and Lauren Jackson both received recognition for their four years of service to the varsity squad and have left their impact on the program that they so loved. The girls state team was rounded out by juniors Ainsley Kiene, Reagan Prendergast, and Ivy Wiegand.