Meet the 2022 All-Hawk Eye girls cross country team
And the freshmen shall lead them.
The 2022 high school girls cross country season will be remembered as the year of the freshmen.
Five area freshmen made quite a splash on the scene in southeast Iowa and beyond this fall, and not surprisingly all five landed spots on the 2022 All-Hawk Eye Girls Cross Country team.
Three of the five earned spots in the state meet Oct. 28-29 at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course in Fort Dodge.
Of the 10 runners on the team, only two are a senior, meaning next year should be even more exciting for area girls cross country runners.
Here is a look at this year's team.
More:Meet Fort Madison's Avery Rump, The Hawk Eye's Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year
Hannah Fruehling, so., Notre Dame-West Burlington
Fruehling, after placing 66th in Class 3A as a freshman, was the team leader this year with Hadley Augustine continuing to struggle with a health condition. Fruehling finished fourth at the SEI Superconference meet and was 21st at a Class 3A state qualifying meet at Washington.
Alaina Gourley, fr., Danville
Gourley, who dominated at the junior high level, showed she can compete with the best varsity runners, as well. Gourley was the team leader from start to finish. She placed second in the SEI Superconference meet, was second at a Class 1A state qualifying meet at Iowa City and placed 24th in Class 1A at state.
Belle Meador, sr., Mount Pleasant
Meador continue to improve this season for the Panthers. She took 20th at the Southeast Conference meet in Fairfield and was 25th in a Class 3A state qualifying meet at Washington to close her career.
Kennedy Ritter, sr., Notre Dame-West Burlington
Ritter stepped up to the Nikes' No. 2 runner this season with Augustine in and out of the lineup. Ritter stepped up to the challenge, finishing 13th at conference and 51st at a Class 3A state qualifying meet at Washington on a brutally cold, windy day.
More:Meet the 2022 All-Hawk Eye boys cross country team
Addison Rump, fr., Fort Madison
Rump, a junior high standout, made a smooth transition to the varsity level. She was the Bloodhounds' No. 2 runner behind her twin sister. Rump finished fifth at the Southeast Conference meet and was 14th at a Class 3A state qualifying meet. She placed 99th in Class 3A at state.
Avery Rump, fr., Fort Madison
Rump was one of the surprises of the season, jumping into the Class 3A rankings early and working her way up the ladder. Rump won the Southeast Conference meet handily, then finished third at a state qualifying meet before wrapping up the season with an eighth-place finish at state, tops in the area.
Kamryn Sherwood, jr., Danville
Sherwood has been a steady performer for the Bears over the last three seasons and was solid from start to finish this season. She finished fifth at the conference meet, then took seventh at a state qualifying meet and placed 85th at the Class 1A state meet.
Ariana Vergara, so., Columbus
Vergara continued the family tradition in cross country with a good season for the Wildcats. After missing the SEI Superconference meet, she came back to take 22nd at a state qualifying meet to end the season and set the stage for a promising final two years.
More:Meet Danville-New London's AJ Bonnesen, The Hawk Eye's Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year
Emma Welcher, fr., Mount Pleasant
Welcher was a pleasant surprise for the Panthers and looks to be the team leader the next three years. Welcher finished 11th at the Southeast Conference meet and was 32nd at a Class 3A state qualifying meet.
Haley Wolfe, fr., Fort Madison
Often overshadowed by the accomplishments of the Rump twins, Wolfe quietly went about putting together a fabulous freshman campaign for the Bloodhounds. She finished 16th at the conference meet and was 30th at the state qualifying meet in Washington.
Coach of the Year
Brian Mendez, Fort Madison
Mendez did a splendid job with both the girls and boys for the Bloodhounds. He helped the boys get back to state as a team for the first time in a decade and helped turn the girls into a force to be reckoned with the next three years. Mendez guided the girls to a third-place finish at conference and a fifth-place showing at the state qualifying meet.
Honorable Mention
Columbus -- Naveiah Garza. Danville -- Ava Orth. Fort Madison -- Allison Lamb, Paetyn Weigand. Mediapolis -- Vivian Pfeiff. Illini West -- Hailey Eyring, Emma Whitaker.
Matt Levins is a sports reporter for the USA Today Network in Burlington, Iowa, who has covered local sports for 32 years at The Hawk Eye. Reach him at mlevins@thehawkeye.com.
This article originally appeared on The Hawk Eye: Here is a look at the 2022 All-Hawk Eye girls cross country team
