FORT DODGE — The Panorama girls cross country team made their third appearance in the past four years at the state meet Saturday, with two Panthers running at the event for the fourth time.
The course at Kennedy Park in Fort Dodge is familiar territory for coach Greg Thompson’s Panthers, with the team placing 12th in a 15-team Class 2A field with 281 points. Mid-Prairie won the crown at 45 points, well ahead of second-place Tipton (107), and third place Williamsburg (119).
Mid-Prairie freshman Danielle Hostetler — the latest in a family that has already included a pair of multi-event state track and cross country champs — was the titleist in 19 minutes, 8.9 seconds. Danville/New London senior Addison Parrott was second in 19:31.3, with Mid-Prairie junior Jaden Yoder third in 19:38.9. The final individual medalist spot went to Underwood frosh Georgia Paulson, who crossed in 20:27.4.
Panorama was led by senior Ella Waddle, who was also competing individually for the fourth time. She led the Panthers by crossing 23rd in 21:14.1.
Senior Gwen Steffen was 49th in 21:57.3, with freshman Mia Waddle (66th, 22:27.8), junior Payton Beckman (67th, 22:33.7), and senior Olivia Steffen (76th, 22:58.6) also scoring for the Panthers.
Junior Leah Fett (97th, 25:03.9), and freshman Avery Bahrenfuss (103rd, 26:50.6) also ran the state meet circuit for Panorama.
The past four years has been a strong stretch, by any calculation, for the Panorama girls. As a team, the Panthers were second in the 2017 Class 1A meet and 7th, in 2A, in the 2018 meet. They did not qualify, as a team, last season.
Ella Waddle has second as a freshman (19:32.7) in 1A and fifth in 2A as both a sophomore (19:31.6) and a junior (19:19). Olivia Steffen ran for the fourth time in Fort Dodge as well, placing 27th in 2017 (21:21.5) and 47th in 2018 (21:15.2) while finishing 39th in 2019 (20:50.4).
The following photos from Saturday’s state meet appear courtesy of Matt Gengler, Missouri Valley Times.
