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Where are They Now?
The North High boys cross country program is a strong advocate of post-secondary athletics. Below is a list of former members of the North High boys cross country team who currently compete collegiately or professionally.
Derik Simenson, Class of 2008
Notable Star Achievements
2006 Cross Country State Qualifier
24th, 16:36
2007 Team Captain
2007 All-MRAC
2007 MRAC Runner Up
Education/Collegiate Athletic Career
Williams Woods University
Transferred to Morningside College
Notable Collegiate Achievements
NAIA Cross Country National Qualifier – 2011
Where is Derik Now
Teacher – Irving Dual Language Elementary School, Sioux City, IA
Joel Dorsett, Class of 2009
Notable Star Achievements
2008 Team Captain
2008 All-MRAC
2008 MRAC Runner Up
2008 Academic All-MRAC
2008 Academic All-State
Education/Collegiate Athletic Career
Morningside College
Where is Joel Now
Enlisted in US Army
Member of Army Band
Jesus Iniguez, Class of 2010
Notable Star Achievements
2009 All-MRAC
Education/Collegiate Athletic Career
Iowa Central Community College
Morningside College
Notable Collegiate Achievements
2010 NJCAA National Qualifier
2010 NJCAA Half Marathon National Qualifier
2011 NJCAA National Qualifier
2011 NJCAA Half Marathon National Qualifier
2011 NJCAA Half Marathon Team National Champions
2011 NJCAA National Champion Cross Country Team Member
Where is Jesus Now
Master Barista at Archetype Coffee, Omaha, NE
Abbabiya Simbassa, Class of 2011
Notable Star Achievements
2010 City Champion
2010 All-MRAC
2010 MRAC Champion
2010 State Qualifier
2010 All-State (7th, 15:36)
2011 Drake Relays Qualifier
2011 Elite All-State Track and Field -(3rd Place, 4:21.84)
2011 School Record Holder
800 Meters (1:57.24)
1600 Meters (4:21.84)
1600 Meter Medley Relay (3:33.70)
Education/Collegiate Athletic Career
Iowa Central Community College
2011 NJCAA Cross Country National Qualifier
2011 NJCAA Cross Country All-American
2011 NJCAA Cross Country Team National Champions
2011 NJCAA Half Marathon National Qualifier
2011 NJCAA Half Marathon Team National Champions
2012 NJCAA Indoor Track and Field All-American
2012 NJCAA Cross Country National Qualifier
2012 NJCAA Cross Country All-American (3rd Place)
2012 NJCAA Cross Country Team National Champions
2013 NJCAA Indoor Track and Field All-American (1000, Distance Medley Relay, 5000)
2013 NJCAA Outdoor All-American (5000, 10000, Distance Medley Relay)
University of Oklahoma
2013 Roy Griak 6th place
2013 All-Big XII (XC)
2013 Big XII Cross Country New Comer of the Year
2013 Midwest Region All-Region XC Team
2014 #2 All-Time 10,000 Meters in Oklahoma History (28:14)
2014 Big XII XC Runner of the Week (2X)
2014 Big XII XC Conference Individual Runner Up (Best finish in OU History)
2014 Midwest Region All-Region XC Team
2015 All-Big XII Indoor Track and Field (3000, 5000)
Professional Athletic Career
Team USA-Minnesota
US Olympic Trials Qualifier (Marathon)
Houston Half-Marathon -15th Place (1:03.28)
USATF Cross Country National Championships – 12th Place (33:17)
American Distance Project
US Olympic Trials Qualifier (5K) – 13:28
US Championships Qualifier (4th at 10k) – 27:45
US 10-Mile Championships Qualifier (6th) – 47:45
NACAC 8k International Individual Champion (22:40) – led Team USA to perfect score in 2017
USATF 5K Championships (5th) – 13:59
NACAC 10K International Individual Senior Men’s Champion (31:49) – led Team USA to perfect score in 2019
Colby Casper, Class of 2012
Notable Star Achievements
4-Year Varsity Letter winner
2011 Team Captain
2009 Academic All-MRAC
2010 Academic All-MRAC
2011 Academic All-MRAC
2011 All-MRAC
Education/Collegiate Athletic Career
Morningside College
Daniel Poston, Class of 2011 (Team Captain)
Notable Star Achievements
4-Year Varsity Letter winner
2009 Academic All-MRAC
2010 Academic All-MRAC
2011 Academic All-MRAC
2011 All-MRAC
2011 MRAC Runner Up
Education/Collegiate Athletic Career
Creighton University
Jacobus Noble, Class of 2016
Notable Star Achievements
4 – Year Varsity Letterwinner
2014 Metro Team Champion
2015 MRAC Team Champion
2013 Academic All-MRAC
2014 Academic All-MRAC
2015 Academic All-MRAC
Drake Relays Qualifier
110 Hurdles, Shuttle Hurdle Relay
State Track Meet Qualifier
110 Hurdles, Shuttle Hurdle Relay, Distance Medley Relay
School Record Holder 100 Meter Hurdles (14.87)
Education/Collegiate Athletic Career
Morningside College
Notable Collegiate Achievements
Outdoor Track and Field National Qualifier 2018:
110 Meter Hurdles, 400 Meter Hurdles
Camden Beller, Class of 2017
Notable Star Achievements
3- Year Varsity Letter Winner
2016 Team Captain
2-Time All-Metro
2013 Metro Team Champions
2-Time All-Conference
2014 MRAC Team Champions
School Record Holder in 800 Medley Relay (1:34.84)
#4 All-Time School History in 800 (1:58.97)
Education/Collegiate Athletic Career
Morningside College
Notable Collegiate Achievements
2019 All-GPAC Indoor (4×800)
2019 NAIA Indoor National Qualifier (4×800)
2019 All-GPAC Outdoor (4×800)
2019 NAIA Outdoor National Qualifier (4×800)
2019 NAIA All-American (4×800)
2020 NAIA Indoor National Qualifier (4×800)
600 PR – 1:24.17
800 PR – 1:55 (split)
Drake Beller, Class of 2018
Notable Star Achievements
2017 Team Captain
2017 All-Metro
2017 All-MRAC
2017 Cross Country State Team Qualifiers
13th Place Finish at 2017 State XC Meet
School Record Team (16:28)
Education/Collegiate Athletic Career
Morningside College
Merga Gemeda, Class of 2018
Notable Star Achievements
2- Year Varsity Letter Winner
2017 Team Captain
2016 Metro Runner-Up
2016 Conference Runner-Up
2017 Metro Champion
2017 Conference Champion
2016 All-MRAC
2017 All-MRAC
2016 State Qualifier
2017 State Qualifier
2017 All-State Cross Country Performer (5th place)
2017 Nike 3rd Team All-Region
School Record Holder in 3200 Meters (9:28.83)
School Record Holder in 5000 Meters (15:25)
#2 All-Time in School History in 1600 Meters (4:22.24)
Drake Relays Qualifier (3200 meters) – 11th place
2-Time State Track Medalist
All-State Track (1600 meters) – 3rd place
All-State Track (3200 meters) – 5th place
University of South Dakota
Notable Collegiate Achievements
2018 All-Summit League 2nd Team Cross Country
2x 2019 Summit League Cross Country Athlete of the Week
2019 All-Summit League 2nd Team Cross Country
2020 All-Summit League 1st Team Indoor Track (5000 meters)
8k PR – 24:50, 2019 Bradley University Invitational
1500 PR – 4:05
3k PR – 8:35 (2020 Indoors)
5k PR – 14:35 (2020 indoors)
10k PR – 32:01, 2019 NCAA Regional Championships
Luke Benson, Class of 2019
Notable Star Achievements
2018 Varsity Letter winner
2018 All-Metro
2018 All-MRAC
2018 State XC Qualifier
2019 MRAC Champion (800 meters)
2019 State Track Meet Qualifier (800 meters) – 13th place (1:59.32)
Education/Collegiate Athletic Career
Iowa Western Community College
Information on this page is updated each summer.