Clearly, that was a Pennsylvania run to remember.

Leah Bontrager, a 2022 Hillcrest Academy graduate from Wellman, helped the Central College women’s cross country team to a Top 10 national season.

The Dutch finished ninth in the NCAA Div. III championship meet that was held Nov. 18 in Newhill, Pennsylvania.

Bontrager, who ran in the Iowa Class 1A championship meet all four years in high school, was the youngest varsity runner on Central College’s team. The Dutch’s strong lineup included senior All-Americans Caroline McMartin of Pella and Megan Johnson of Parkersburg, and junior All-American Addison Parrott of Danville.

Bontrager was the fifth Central College finisher, placing 216^th with a time of 23 minutes, 14 seconds on the 6-kilometer course. She was the team’s No. 5 varsity runner most of the season.

Bontrager also runs on the school’s track team.

Carleton College of Minnesota won the cross country national title.

Central’s ninth-place finish was its best national finish since winning the national championship in 1981. The Dutch were ranked 15^th nationally.

Running for Liberty

Also faring well in college cross country this fall was Mid-Prairie grad and three-time Iowa state champion Marie Hostetler.

A junior at Liberty University, she placed 23^rd in the Conference USA championship meet with a time of 23:00.1. She was among seven Liberty runners placing among the top 30.

Marie’s younger sister, Danielle, also won three consecutive state championships. Danielle, now a Mid-Prairie senior, placed fifth at this year’s state championship meet.

Football Giant

Iowa City Regina Catholic lost a football giant this month when Jason Dumont, a Mid-Prairie alum and former University of Iowa star, resigned as head coach.

Dumont had been a football coach at Regina for 17 years, including the last three as head coach.

He is the uncle of Mid-Prairie’s Landry Gingerich, who was a defensive leader for this year’s Golden Hawks team.

Regina quarterback Gentry Dumont, Jason’s son, ranked third in the state with 2,390 passing yards this season and 26 touchdown passes. The Regals won nine of 11 games and were a 1A quarterfinalist.

“For the last 37 years of my life I have either been playing or coaching the game I love,” Dumont said in a statement. “The 17 years coaching at Regina has been the best part of my football journey. It is time for me to step away from the game I love and spend more time enjoying other aspects of my life.”

Hoop Throws

Last year it was a shot clock.

This year, it’s free throws.

The Iowa high school basketball game, it is changing. Rule changes this season include the end of the 1-and-1 free throw situations you might be used to seeing in the closing moments of a game as a losing team fouled intentionally in the hopes of missed free throws by an opponent.

Rules now call for two free throws for each foul in a quarter when a team has committed at least five fouls.

So, that quick foul in the backcourt in a five-point game? There’ll be no quick rebound after a missed shot in the front end of that 1-and-1. There’ll be a second shot no matter what happens.

Let’s see how that plays out as the season goes on.

One thing … it might be time to practice those free throws in practice.

News columnist Paul Bowker can be reached at bowkerpaul1@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @bowkerpaul