Oskaloosa sophomore Patrick DeRonde will represent the Indians Saturday (11/2) in the State 3A cross country meet in Fort Dodge.  DeRonde finished the cross country season strongly and looks to take that improvement to the State meet.

“You always hope to get better as you progress and I think I’ve made a big leap from my freshman year and I’m hoping to make another big leap next year.”

What’s your goal for next year?

“There’s no real place goal.  I’m just there to have fun, have the experience.”

Here are the other runners from the area who qualified for State cross country:  In Class 3A, Pella’s boys and girls teams, Grinnell’s boys and girls teams and Norah Pearson of Knoxville.  In Class 4A, Alli Bookin-Nosbisch and Carollin Mellin of Ottumwa.  In Class 2A, Albia’s boys and Chariton’s girls teams, along with Daniel Mora Demestri of Pella Christian, Sherryl Mae Roe of Albia and Paige Steenhoek of PCM.  And in Class 1A, Mason Moore of Sigourney will be in the boys race, while the girls will be represented by Rylee Dunkin of Twin Cedars, Cheyenne Shaw from North Mahaska, Greenlee Smock of Lynnville-Sully and Elise Boulton of Montezuma.  Again, the state high school cross country meet is Saturday at Fort Dodge.