Some years are better than others for the various sports Heart of Iowa Activities Conference schools take part in, but one thing remains constant; the conference remains a force in the running sports. Cross-country and track & field have been strong for quite a few years, and that’s not likely to change in 2015. The league returns state champions, numerous state meet place winners, and 58 (32 girls, 26 boys) individual events that qualified for the 2014 Coed State Championships. And that number doesn’t count relays, which HOIAC schools had 38 combined qualifiers (23 girls, 15 boys).

Greene County returns its share of state meet experience. On the boys’ side, junior Max Neese has been in five state events in his first two years of high school including three last year. Dylan Hamilton has state meet relay experience and Alex Ramussen qualified in both the shot put and discus throw in 2014.

On the girls’ side, Emma Saddoris is a past state place winner in the long jump and Hannah Onken just missed a top finish last season in the discus throw. All four girls that ran in the shuttle hurdle relay that placed eighth last season are back in Eme Johnson, Sarah Sandage, Molly Sorber, and Nadia Fisher. Fisher also qualified in the high jump and on relays and Olivia Hansen was in the 0pen 200 and 400 races, plus relays. Hansen ran the first sub-60 second 400 meter dash by a Ram in at least 20 years in ’14, and Johnson qualified in both individual hurdles races. Saddoris also has state meet relay experience from last season, and Emily Christensen has been to past state meets as both an individual and a relay runner.