The Marshalltown boys cross country team wasn’t expected to have the depth to qualify for the state meet as a team, but an exceptional team performance helped the Bobcats beat the odds with a third-place team finish at Wednesday’s Class 4A state-qualifying meet on the Marshalltown Community College Campus.

Preston Johnson led the way for MHS as the individual champion in 15:32. Marshalltown will compete in the 4A boys meet at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge at 2:45 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1.

“It felt really good to win,” Johnson said. “But as soon as I was finished I was like, ‘Where’s everybody else?’ because that was the main goal today, getting to state as a team.”

It’s the first Marshalltown team to qualify for state since 2010.

T-R PHOTO BY JAKE RYDER - Marshalltown sophomore Preston Johnson finishes off a first-place run at Wednesday’s Class 4A state-qualifying cross country meet at Marshalltown Community College. Johnson claimed the top spot with a time of 15 minutes, 32 seconds, to advance to state for the second year in a row.

“That’s just a huge accomplishment,” MHS junior Carter Nunn said. “Lots of hard work, miles and miles and miles, all of it built up to this night.”

Norwalk’s Teegan Kralik was the runner-up in 15:38 and Marshalltown’s John Moellers wasn’t far behind, grabbing bronze in 15:45. Nunn came in seventh at 16:02 and those three were locks to be individual qualifiers once they crossed the finish line.

One question had the team qualifier banner hanging in the balance: Where would Marshalltown’s next two runners be?

Earlier in the season, that might have been a tough pill to swallow for the Bobcats.

But Parker Gooding and Myles Goldman delivered on Wednesday, finishing 25th and 33rd for Marshalltown, respectively. And that was enough to upend Ankeny Centennial for that last team spot by an eight-point margin.

Gooding and Goldman ran 17:01 and 17:41. For Goldman, it was 37 seconds faster than his run on the exact same course one week prior.

“Once I saw Myles come in around 17:40, I knew we had a really good shot,” Johnson said.

MHS head coach Chad Pietig said going into this meet he needed at least his top five to finish in the top 40 to have a chance. He got six in the top 40 when Caleb Rasmussen galloped in at 38th. Carson Wright was the final MHS varsity runner in 59th.

“They all did their job, and that’s what makes it really special,” Pietig said. “It literally took all of them, and they all did what they were supposed to, what they were capable of doing.

“I’m so proud of Parker, one of our seniors, especially. There’s nobody else I wanted to have that weight on their shoulders than him, because he always rises to the occasion.”

Marshalltown was ranked 20th in the 4A team rankings going into the meet; Ankeny Centennial was eighth.

“We might have been overlooked a few times this year,” Pietig said. “The guys never let that bother them. They kept saying, ‘We’re gonna get it.'”

Pietig kept the top three runners on a normal practice schedule while resting his next four guys in preparation for this meet. And that rest for Johnson, Moellers and Nunn is still yet to come as aspirations remain high.

Johnson is ranked 14th in 4A but beat the ninth-ranked Kralik to the line on Wednesday. Moellers is ranked 22nd.

“Those three are looking at the podium, not just going to have fun,” Pietig said. “But I hope the guys realize that next week that this hard work is all worth it. We’ve talked a lot about this team’s legacy of being the team that after 14 years does it again. And they’ve already left their mark in that sense.”

After Johnson and Moellers qualified as individuals to last year’s meet in Fort Dodge, along with James Johnson, there’s lessons learned for their second go-round. Moellers was 67th in 16:37 and Johnson finished 92nd in 17:00.

“Just getting there was the goal last year,” Moellers said. “Now we want to make sure the team does well. It’s going to be a great experience, especially for the younger guys.”

Both state returners would certainly be in the conversation for a top-15 individual medal next Friday.

“I’m definitely going in with a lot more confidence,” Johnson said. “Just trying to stick with that lead pack and go for top five, top 10, just see what I can do.”

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BOYS

Team Standings — 1. Norwalk 53, 2. Dallas Center-Grimes 54, 3. Marshalltown 70, 4. Ankeny Centennial 77, 5. Davenport Central 107, 6. Mason City 180, 7. Fort Dodge 216, 8. Des Moines Lincoln 223, 9. Ottumwa 248.

GIRLS

Team Standings — 1. Ankeny Centennnial 29, 2. Dallas Center-Grimes 48, 3. Davenport Central 74, 4. Norwalk 94, 5. Mason City 102, 6. Fort Dodge 193, 7. Ottumwa 212, 8. Marshalltown 225.