Visualize this: Liberty’s Keegan Decker is a state-championship contender

NORTH LIBERTY — This might hurt a while.

So when Keegan Decker visualizes Saturday’s race at the state cross country championships, he ponders more than the crowd, the hills and the competition.

“I think about how it’s going to hurt,” he said. “I don’t want the pain to come as a surprise.”

Fifteen minutes of discomfort. Fifteen minutes to potential glory.

A junior at Iowa City Liberty, Decker is a top contender for the Class 4A boys’ individual championship, along with Cedar Falls’ Jaden Merrick.

“Obviously, there are going to be a lot of guys in there,” Decker said. “My toughest focus is on Merrick. He’s the main contender. I imagine how it’s going to play out. I have a race plan in mind.”

Usually, that strategy involves latching on to the leader and, as he said, “hold on.”

It’s effective.

Decker is able to hang with the state’s elite. That includes Merrick. And it includes arguably the best runner in state history, Quentin Nauman of Western Dubuque.

At the Mississippi Valley Conference meet three weeks ago, that trio blazed through the Kickers Soccer Complex course. Nauman won it in 14:43, then it was Merrick in 14:48 and Decker in 14:49.

“Keegan’s not afraid to run with anybody,” Liberty Coach Josh Hildebrand said. “We don’t talk strategy. Keegan’s going to do Keegan stuff.

“He can do the hills, and he can fly on the flatter courses.”

Hildebrand’s first acquaintance with Decker came when Keegan was a 7-year-old playing baseball on the same team as Hildebrand’s son, Lars.

“(Decker) wasn’t overly coordinated,” Hildebrand said.

Baseball bat and glove were soon substituted for soccer apparel, and Decker was much better at his new sport.

Eventually, Hildebrand began receiving rumors from spies at the middle school.

“I heard, ‘Keegan Decker is running lights-out,’” Hildebrand said.

Decker joined older brother Aidan on the Liberty cross country squad as a freshman, and those “lights-out” fortunes continued.

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Aidan (then a senior) finished ninth at the state meet, Keegan was 17th (and the top freshman, in 15:54), and the Lightning finished sixth in the 4A team race.

“It was cold,” Keegan said, recalling the day. “I was wearing arm sleeves and gloves. I was able to stay in the pack for the majority of the race.”

Shortly after that 2023 state meet, Decker cut ties with soccer.

“Aidan played a factor in that, trying to get me as dedicated as I could in cross country,” Keegan said. “Honestly, I didn’t see myself getting this good.”

Last year at state, Decker “held on for dear life with Merrick and (Ankeny’s Ethan) Zuber. They got away at about 2.75 miles.”

Zuber won it in 15:01, followed by Merrick (15:08) and Decker (15:10).

The state championships are at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge. The 4A boys race is at 11:15 a.m. Saturday, and it will be more than simply a Decker-Merrick duel.

“Kuma (Gutema, of Sioux City North) and Preston (Johnson, of Marshalltown) are X-factors,” Decker said. “Kuma has run some great races, and Preston, I’ve seen some crazy moves out of him.”

Decker and his teammates will leave North Liberty early on race day.

“I love that they can sleep in their own beds,” Hildebrand said.

Before he nods off Friday night, Decker will visualize Saturday’s competition.

“I just imagine where I’m going to be at different points in the race, how it’s going to play out, where and when I want to make a move,” he said.

Yes, he’ll visualize the discomfort that accompanies at a sub-5-minute pace. And yes, he’ll visualize the reward that could come at the end.

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Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com