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North Union’s Bauer runs to 4th straight state bid

EAGLE GROVE, Iowa — North Union senior long-distance standout Riley Bauer earned his fourth consecutive trip to the Iowa Class 1A state cross country meet.

Bauer, the 2016 Class 1A state champion, will look to defend his crown at 2:30 p.m. Saturday during the Iowa state cross country competition at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge, Iowa.

Bauer advanced to the final prep meet of the season by capturing first-place honors at the joint state-qualifying meet at Eagle Grove Country Club on Thursday in Eagle Grove, Iowa.

The North Union senior sensation covered the 5,000-meter course in a winning time of 16:12.31. Bauer and runner-up Sean McDermott (16:54.74) of the Madrid Tigers proved the only two runners in the 149-runner boys field to break the 17-minute barrier.

McDermott paced Madrid’s first-place team total of 52 points at the qualifier, edging South Winn’s runner-up score of 68. Ogden netted third in the boys team event with 85.

Noah Morphew produced a time of 20:33.04 to place 78th overall for North Union, while teammate Trevor Kruse netted 118th place in a time of 22:36.84.

Bauer captured sixth place in the 2014 Class 1A state cross country meet, netted 65th in 2015 and rebounded for a first-place performance of 16:09.7 last fall.

Bauer will look to add to his already impressive prep athletic resume on Saturday.

The North Union senior is the two-time Iowa Class 1A state 1,600-meter champion after setting a state record in the 2017 event by crossing the finish line in 4:18.43. Bauer also placed second in the 3,200 (9:29.85) last spring.

Bauer also won the 2016 Class 1A mile run crown in 4:25.95, and added a third-place showing in the 3,200-meter run that year.

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