Decorah Cross Country Teams Excel at Waukon Invitational

WAUKON, Iowa — The Decorah High School cross country teams were trailblazers at the Waukon Invitational on Sept. 24, 2024, with both the varsity boys' and girls' teams capturing first place in their respective 5K races. The boys' team finished first with a score of 32 points. Grant Zilka led the charge, finishing fifth overall with a time of 17:11.5. Close behind were his teammates Mitchell Stemper and D'mitry Lesser, who crossed the line in sixth and eighth place with times of 17:30.6 and 17:32.0, respectively. Landyn Hook and Garrett See rounded out the top finishes for Decorah, placing ninth and 15th with times of 17:41.0 and 17:41.2. William Fullhart also contributed to the team's success, finishing 16th at 18:22.6, while Clarence Nimrod clocked in at 18:28.0. "Our boys showed incredible depth today," said Coach Brad Johansen. "It's exciting to see our runners pushing each other and striving for improvement." The girls' team mirrored their male counterparts, finishing first with a score of 38 points. Olivia Volkmann led the girls, placing sixth overall with a time of 20:27.1. Brinlee Courtney and Riley Christopher followed closely, finishing seventh and eighth with times of 21:05.4 and 21:31.3, respectively. Raelyn Newhouse and Deborah Hougen had strong finishes, coming in at 19th and 31st with times of 21:38.2 and 22:28.4. Amelia Wadsworth rounded out the team, finishing 39th at 23:05.8. "[There was] a solid effort made by the team to improve. The results speak to the quality depth of the team," Johansen said. The Decorah boys' team outpaced Waukon, which finished second with 47 points. Central Elkader took third place with 128 points. The Waukon girls' team secured second place with 65 points, while Osage finished third with 87 points. With both teams' outstanding performances, Decorah continues to solidify its reputation as a formidable force in high school cross country. Become a part of the exclusive circle! Subscribe to the newsletter for free and gain access to special offers, bonus content and insider perks.