The high school girls cross country season was chock full of surprises from start to finish.
Mount Pleasant freshman Avery Fedler took the area by storm, racing away with impressive performances from start to finish.
The Fort Madison girls were on a mission to get to state as a team after falling short the previous year. Alas, after another stellar season, the Bloodhounds fell just short again.
By the time the final race was run at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course in Fort Dodge on Nov. 1, it was Van Buren County which was standing tall, finishing seventh in Class 1A.
That balance and talent is reflected on the 2025 All-Hawk Eye girls cross country team
Aubree Bunnell, so., Central Lee
Bunnell was one of the biggest surprises of the year, helping put the Hawks back on the map for girls cross country. Bunnell’s hard work and dedication paid off as she finished 10th in the conference meet, 10th in a Class 2A state qualifying meet and 42nd at the state meet.
Josie Dykstra, so., WACO
Dykstra continued her journey to the elite of Class 1A runners with a sensational sophomore season. Dykstra, the younger sister of WACO senior standout Jude Dykstra, was the SEI Super Conference runner-up behind Pekin’s Chloe Glosser. She then took fourth at a state qualifying meet before polishing off her season by taking 21st at the state meet.
Avery Fedler, fr., Mount Pleasant
Fedler was a two-time junior high state champion and didn’t skip a beat in her first year at the varsity level. She ascended into the top five in Class 3A and proved that ranking by winning first the Southeast Conference championship, then a Class 3A state qualifying meet at Williamsburg. She fell ill with a stomach ailment at the state meet, where she finished 24th.
Iris Garza, jr., Columbus
Garza overcame injuries and a slow start to post a stellar finish to the season. After finishing 12 at the SEI Super Conference meet, Garza came back with a sensational race at the state qualifying meet, finishing fourth to punch his ticket to state. There, Garza had one of the top performances for area runners, taking 24th to set her up for a big senor season.
Alaina Gourley, sr., Danville
Gourley qualified for the state meet for the fourth straight year. While not having the dominant season she had hoped for, Gourley led a young Bears team to an outstanding season and set the standard for years to come. Gourley finished seventh at the conference meet, then was eighth at the state qualifying meet before finishing her high school career with a 44th-place finish at state.
Quintrie Lee, so., Mount Pleasant
Lee, a state qualifier last year and the Panthers’ team leader, helped Fedler make the transition to the varsity level by pushing her in practice and meets every day. Lee once again rose to the challenge, helping turn the Panthers into a team to be reckoned with. She finished third in the Southeast Conference meet, then took ninth in a state qualifying meet, but opted not to run at state so she could attend the FFA national convention.
Fiona McGill, so., Louisa-Muscatine
McGill followed up her 62nd-place finish at state as a freshman with an equally sensational sophomore season. McGill was coming on strong late in the year as she battled through a painful hip injury which ultimately ended her season. She finished third at the conference meet, pushing through the pain. She shut down her season before the state qualifying meet to get her hip figured out.
Hannah Ritter, fr., Notre Dame-West Burlington
Ritter made her presence felt from the outset and was a force to be reckoned with in every race from start to finish. She is part of a new wave of Nikes ready to take the program to the next level. She finished fifth at the conference meet, then took 12th at a state qualifying meet to punch her ticket to state. She had a respectable showing in Fort Dodge, finishing 39th in Class 2A.
Addison Rump, sr., Fort Madison
Rump was perhaps the most improved runner in the area, becoming a solid No. 2 for the Bloodhounds behind her twin sister. She helped the Bloodhounds to a solid season before running into health issues in the postseason. She collapsed and did not finish the Southeast Conference meet, then fall 50 yards from the finish at the Class 3A state qualifying meet to end her high school career.
Avery Rump, sr., Fort Madison
Rump cemented her place n Fort Madison cross country history as one of the top runners of all-time. She was a four-time state qualifier and finished her career with a stellar senior season. She finished second behind Fedler at the conference meet, then took sixth at a state qualifying meet to earn a fourth trip to state. There, she finished 25th in Class 3A.
Mara Smith, sr., Fort Madison
Smith made a smooth transition from volleyball to cross country, having a splendid senior season to help the Bloodhounds into the rankings most of the season. Smith, also a state qualifier in wrestling and track, was a consistent No. 3 runner for the Bloodhounds. She was sixth at the conference meet and closed her cross country career by placing 20th at a state qualifying meet.
Kayley Snowgren, jr., Van Buren County
After finishing 75th in Class 1A as a sophomore, Snowgren came back to be the Warriors’ top runner on one of the best girls teams in school history. She finished ninth at the conference meet. She then finished sixth at a Class 1A state qualifying meet, helping the Warriors qualify for state as a team. At state, she finished 57th, helping the Warriors finish seventh.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Lucinda DeHart, Van Buren County
DeHart did perhaps her best coaching job of her 19-year career with the Warriors, taking both the girls and boys teams to state. The girls finished seventh in Class 1A, while the boys were 12th. DeHart put together a girls team with plenty of returning experience and a group of promising newcomers and had a season to remember. The stage is set for another run next season.