Finishing the boys cross country season in Fort Dodge has almost become a rite of passage for Norwalk in recent years. The Warriors have made six consecutive state meet appearances, including last year’s fifth-place finish in Class 4A. And there’s no reason to believe they can’t extend the streak to seven later this fall.

Norwalk returns three varsity runners from last year’s squad, led by senior Teegan Kralik, who earned a 14th-place state medal. Kralik enters the 2025 season ranked ninth individually in 4A by the Iowa Association of Track Coaches. The team is also ranked ninth. Senior Sam Parker and junior Aksel Beedon return from last year’s Little Hawkeye Conference championship team, while senior Lane Osterloh and junior Sam Buhrow are eager to make a varsity impact. Others in contention for the top seven include seniors Jeremiah Brown and Harrison Bice, along with junior Caleb Clark and some freshman newcomers. Sophomore twins Dylan and Dayton Wright and Graham and Wyatt Haack are also in the mix.

Coach Chad Larson reports that 38 runners are on the Warriors’ August roster, adding that the team has averaged at least 25 kids for their summer runs. Larson tells KNIA Sports that Norwalk must replace four outstanding senior leaders from a year ago, but he is confident those shoes can be filled by athletes that were on the edge of cracking last season’s varsity lineup.

“There’s potential that we are as good as we were last year… maybe better. We’ll see,” Larson said. “Success breeds more success, and they start building that culture.”

Norwalk opens the season on Tuesday, August 26, competing at the Ankeny Centennial Jaguar Invite on the DMACC Ankeny campus. Coach Larson feels good about his team’s readiness for the first meet and says that expectations are once again being set high. Two of the Warriors’ top goals include winning a “stacked” Little Hawkeye Conference and then returning to State to pursue a top-three “podium” finish in Class 4A.