Iowa high school state track: Results, recap from Thursday's events at Drake (2024)

After a year break due to COVID-19, the Iowa state track and field meet is back.

The best runners, throwers and jumpers from across the state have descended upon the Blue Oval at Drake Stadium for three days of state-championship action. And there will be a decently sized crowd on hand to watch it.

On Tuesday, Drake announced it was lifting its 33% capacity limit in light of the CDC's recent updated guidelines regarding fully vaccinated people. Masks are still encouraged in common areas, such as concession stand lines and bathrooms. Taking the vaccine is also strongly recommended, and there's a mobile vaccination clinic at Drake Stadium all three days for those interested.

Be sure to return to this blog all day for live coverage of all the action from Day 1 of the state track meet. The Register's Matthew Bain and Cody Goodwin will provide updates and analysis throughout the day.

Day2 live updates:2021 Iowa high school state track and field meet

To help you prepare, here are some previews for the state meet:

  • Top storylines
  • Boys' event-by-event breakdown
  • Girls' event-by-event breakdown
  • Top football prospects at state track

8:10p.m.— Final results of the day trickle in

Class 1A girls' long jump winner:Bishop Garrigan's Molly Joyce— 17 feet, 5 inches

Class 4A girls' high jump winner:Waukee's Layana Green— 5 feet, 7 inches

1A girls' 400 meters winner:West Bend-Mallard's Rachel Fehr— 58.12 seconds

1A boys' 400 meters winner:Wapsie Valley's Trevor Sauerbrei— 50.10 seconds

4A boys' 400 meters winner: Cedar Falls'T.J. Tomlyanovich— 47.54 seconds (No. 9 all-time in Iowa high school track history)

7:55 p.m.— History for Norwalk

Norwalk runner Claire Farrell won the Class 4A girls' 400 meters with a time of 56.48 seconds, which was her season-best time. Farrell's win was the first state track victory in Norwalk girls' program history.

7:45 p.m.— Last throwing events of the day are done

Lawton-Bronson's Zach Verzaniwon the Class 1A boys' shot put with a throw of 58 feet, 11.25 inches. That was his best throw of the year by more than 2.5inches. He also won the 2019 state title. Woodbine's Layne Pryor finished second at 57-7.25 and Madrid's Mason Lobeck, who entered state as the 1A shot put leader, took third at 56-7.75.

In the Class 4A boys' discus, Linn-Mar's McKade Jelinek won with a throw of 178-11, two inches than his previous season-best. Muscatine's Nolan Recker finished second at 173-3 and Ames' Corey Phillips took third at 171-4.

7:05 p.m.— Running through the 4x800 relay results

The Class 4A and 1A girls' and boys' 4x800 relays took place Thursday evening.

Iowa City Liberty boys ran the fastest 4x800 relay time in Iowathis year for the 4A win,finishing in7:49.45, about three seconds faster than second-place Ames. Bo Gryp maintained the Bolts' significant lead with the final leg, running the final 800 meters in 1:53.70. This marked Liberty's first-ever boys' state track title.

Earlham pulled away with the boys' 1A race, winning in 8:04.37 to defend its 2019 title.

The Southeast Polk girls relay team held off Waukee to win the 4A 4x800 with a time of 9:21.62, while the Warriors finished second at 9:22.27.

In 1A, St. Edmond Fort Dodge dominated the field, finishing first with a time of 9:56.70— nearly five seconds faster than second-place Earlham.

6:18 p.m.— History for Van Meter

The Van Meter girls' 4x800-meter relay team won the Class 2A state title in 9:42.03, which marked the first state track title of any kind in school history.

The team of Mary Kelly, Maya Herman, Norah Matt and Clare Kelly edged out Sibley Ocheyedan (9:45.11) and Jesup (9:51.05) to win.

And they did it in the rain!

Heck of a way to win the school's first-ever track state title.

5:40 p.m.— Two eastern Iowans excel in high jump, long jump

Stand up, eastern Iowa. Or ... jump up? The eastern side of the state swept the Class 4A boys' high jump and Class 1A boys' long jump Thursday evening at the state meet.

In the 1A long jump, Lisbon's Kole Becker won the titlewith a jump of 22 feet, 4 inches.

In the 4A high jump, Dubuque Senior's Logan Flanagan won the high jump with a jump of 6 feet, 5 inches. Cedar Falls' Jacob Kieler also cleared 6-5, but it took him three tries compared to Flanagan's one attempt. Then, both faulted all three times at 6-6, giving Flanagan the edge for the victory.

5:15 p.m.— More results coming in

Dowling Catholic's Jackson Heidesch overtook the formidable Sioux City North duoof William Lohr and Jaysen Bouwers to win the Class 4A boys' 3,200 meters at 9:18.32, a season-best by nearly 6.5 seconds. He entered state with the fifth-fastest time in 4A.

Over in the field events, Cedar Falls' Myah Brinker won the 4A girls' discuswith a throw of 128 feet, 8 inches. The class leader entering state was Iowa City West's Phoebe Burt, who finished second to Brinker at 125-4.

5:05 p.m.— Basketball star can also throw it pretty dang well

Chances are, if Iowans have heard the name Audi Crooks, it was in a conversation about basketball. Crooks, a 6-foot-3 sophomore center out of Bishop Garrigan, already holds hardwood offers from Iowa, Iowa State, Maryland, Minnesota, Drake, Northern Iowa, Missouri State, Illinois State, Missouri-Kansas City and Omaha.

But she's also a star for Bishop Garrigan's track and field team.

Crooks entered the state meet leading Class 1A in the shot put with a season-best throw of 43 feet, 2 inches. And she won the 1A shot put title on Thursday at 41-9.75.

4:45 p.m.— Class 4A girls' 3,000 ... wow

The Class 4A girls' 3,000 meters may have had the most exciting finish of the day.

Ankeny's Lauren McMahon, Iowa City Liberty's Ashlyn Keeney and Valley's Lauren Schulze separated from the pack after the first 1,500 meters. With about 800 meters left, Keeney crept past Schulze to takesecond place. With 300 meters left, she passed McMahon to take the lead and created some separation over the next 100 meters.

Then the final 100 happened.

More:Iowa state track: Ankeny's Lauren McMahon wins Class 4A state title in 3,000-meter run

McMahon had saved her final push for those last 100, whereas Keeney had spent her reserves taking over the lead the previous 800 meters. McMahon quickly made up ground and passed Keeney with 50 meters to go.

McMahon finished first with a time of 9:57.17. Keeney finished second at 9:58.57, collapsing to the track immediately after she crossed the finish line. Those times are season-bests for both.

Schulze wound up finishing sixth. Sioux City East's Kaia Downs rounded out the top three at 10:07.71, which was also a season-best.

4:30 p.m.— Upset City in Class 1A girls' 3,000

We've got an upset, folks.

Tri-Center Neola's Peyton Pogge won the Class 1A girls' 3,000 meters with a time of 10:32.91, her best time of the year by more than 20 seconds. Not a bad time for a run of that caliber, right?

Pogge entered the state meet with the third-fastest 3,000 time in 1A. The class leader, Danville's Addison Parrott, finished second Thursday, just behind Pogge at 10:33.21. That was also her best 3,000 run of the season, by about nine seconds.

3:50 p.m.— Rain, rain, go away

The rain started falling at the Iowa state track meet at about 3:30 p.m.

The torrential downpour started falling at about 3:45 p.m., during right at the beginning the Class 1A boys' shuttle hurdle relay prelims. It let up a bit by the end of the race, but a steady light-to-moderate rainfall is expected through the evening.

Underdogs love rain. We'll see if any upsets get aided by a slick track tonight.

1:50 p.m.—Wrapping up the morning session

Iowa high school state track: Results, recap from Thursday's events at Drake (2)

Keokuk's Miracle Ailes won the Class 3A girls' high jump by clearing 5 feet, 7 inches. She won the 2021 Drake Relays high jump at 5-7.75, and she also won the 2019 Drake Relays at 5-8. Can she officially be called the queen of Iowa high school high jump?

Hudson's Kylee Sallee won the Class 2A girls' long jump at 17-11.75.

Jesup's Carson Lienau took home the 2A boys' shot put title with a throw of 55-0.5.

On the track, Western Dubuque's Aubrey Biermann upset Carlisle's Ainsley Erzen in the 3A girls' 400 meters, winning with a time of 55.80 seconds. In 2A, West Lyon's Kennedy Kramer won with a time of 56.25.

Underwood's Brayden Wollan, a name we'll be hearing a lot of this weekend, won the 2A boys' 400 in 47.73, and Washigton's Elijah Morris won in 3A at 49.53.

1:15 p.m.— Top three in Class 3A boys' shot put remains the same ... just in a different order

Iowa high school state track: Results, recap from Thursday's events at Drake (3)

LeMars junior Brandon Vander Sluis won the 3A boys' discustitle with a throw of 170 feet, 6 inches, besting second-place Duke Faley of Wahlert Catholic(164-11) and third-place Kody Huisman of Pella (163-3).

Vander Sluis, Faley and Huisman (a North Dakota State football signee) were also the top three performers in 3Aentering the state meet: Huisman was first with a state-best throw of 186-8; VanderSluis was second at 171-3; and Faley was third at 166-10.

Fourth and fifth remained the same. Davenport Assumption's Tyler Maro, an Iowa State football signee,entered state with the fourth-longest throw and he finished fourth. West Burlington Notre Dame's Ethan Eilers, a South Dakota State football signee, entered state fifth and he finished fifth.

12:12p.m.— Headington wins 2A girls' shot put

Iowa high school state track: Results, recap from Thursday's events at Drake (4)

Waukon's Annika Headington led wire-to-wire Thursday morning en route to the Class 2A girls' shot put state title.

Headington opened with a long throw of 40-8.75, which was enough to win on this day. But she surpassed that distance on four of her next five throws, finishing with a long throw of 42-6, the fifth-longest throw in the state this season.

Headington claimed first ahead of Williamsburg's Lauren Pope (40-5.5) and North Fayette Valley's Abby Boehm (39-11.5).

11:10 a.m.— Showdown in boys' Class 3A high jump

The loudest oohs and ahhs from the Drake Stadium's came during the home stretch of what turned out to be a thrilling battle in the Class 3A boys' high jump.

Charles City's Ian Collins and North Polk's Jack Noble provided the entertainment.

The field had all faulted by 6 feet, 3 inches. From there, Collins and Noble went head-to-head until 6-9. Collins missed his first two on 6-5 and cleared the third. Noble missed his first and cleared the second. Collins then cleared 6-6 on his first attempt, while Noble needed three attempts to clear.

Noble then cleared his first attempt at 6-7.

Collis faulted his first attempt and cleared the second, tying his season-best.

Both jumpers then cleared 6-8 on their second attempts, marking season-bests for both. Collins cleared 6-9 on his first attempt ... and Noble faulted on all three.

Winner: Collins.

10:55 a.m.— OABCIG's Cooper DeJean starts his weekendoff strong

Iowa high school state track: Results, recap from Thursday's events at Drake (5)

OABCIG's Cooper DeJean has a chance to net 30 individual points this week in the Class 2A long jump, 100 meters and 200 meters. He got off to a strong start Thursday, winning the long jump with a jump of 23 feet, 7.5 inches. That was his first jump during his flight, and nobody passed him the rest of the way.

More:Iowa boys' state track: OABCIG's Cooper DeJean starts quest for 30 points on high note

10:50a.m.— Osky's DeRonde wins 3A discus

Oskaloosa's Faith DeRonde longest throw this season landed her a state title.

DeRonde claimed the Class 3A girls' discus crown with a long throw of 140-01, beating out Bondurant-Farrar's Katelyn Lappe (135-06) and Humboldt's Kendal Clark (134-10).

DeRonde's previous best throw this season was 139-04. She is just the third Iowa girl this season to surpass 140 in the discus this season, joining Clark and fellow Oskaloosa thrower Sophie Dykst

10:45a.m.— ADM's Mueller continues distance dominance

ADM senior Nate Mueller, the Class 3A cross country state champion and Drake Relays champ in both the 1,600-and 3,200-meter runs, added a state title in the 3A3,200-meter on Thursday morning.

Mueller won the event in 9:13.84, beating out Dallas Center-Grimes' Aidan Ramsey, who finished second in 9:16.90. Humboldt's Quinton Orr, Newton's Jackson Mace-Maynard and Center Point-Urbana's Eli Larson finished third through fifth.

More:Iowa boys' state track takeaways: ADM's Mueller wins first title; showdown in Class 3A high jump

In the Class 2A competition, Bellevue's Brady Griebel won the boys' 3,200-meter run in 9:22.83, nearly five seconds faster than second-place Caleb Schumaker of Tipton.

10:10 a.m.— Central Iowa sophomore keeps dazzling

Iowa high school state track: Results, recap from Thursday's events at Drake (6)

Ballard sophomore Shewaye Johnson won the Class 3A 3,000 meters with a time of 9:57.21, just a couple seconds off the state record set in 2017.

This is another feather in the cap for Johnson, who has enjoyed a tremendously successful sophomore year. First, she won the 3A state cross country meet with the best overall time in the state. Then, she won the 3,000 in the 2021 Drake Relays.

She'll look to continue her dominance in the 3A 1,500 meters later this week.

10:05: a.m.— Stop us if you've heard this before ...

... but another Hostetler sister from Mid-Praire won another distance running event.

First it was Anna Hostetler. Then Marie Hostetler. Now it's Danielle Hostetler, who won the first final of the state track meet, finishing first in the girls' Class 2A 3,000 meters with a time of 10:25.26, about 14 seconds better than second place.

This means a Hostetler sister has won every 2A 3,000-meter final since 2017. Danielle Hostetler is just a freshman, too, so it looks like this trend will continue for a while.

More:Girls' track: Another Mid-Prairie Hostetler wins a distance Iowa state championship

9:05 a.m. — Cooper DeJean starts his quest for 30 individual points

One of the brightest stars at this year’s state meet is OABCIG’s Cooper DeJean. You might know him best as a high-end football talent signed with Iowa, but he’s also a standout sprinter and long jumper.

He entered the state meet ranked first in Class 2A in thelong jump and second in the 100 and 200 meters. Translation: He has a real shot for 30 points.

The 2A long jump kicked off action at 9 a.m. He is in the second flight and hasn’t logged his first jump yet.

8:30 a.m.— Gloomy weather ... again

So, is it a rule that the first day of state track has to come on a crummy day? Once again, the sun is nowhere to be seen as we approach the first events at 9 a.m. The rain, thankfully, isn't supposed to come much until the late afternoon. But there's something about the Blue Oval in the sun that's so appealing.

At least the temperature is cool. There's a steady breeze.

Of course, weather is the last thing on the mind of athletes and coaches who've waited two years to have another state track meet.

Matthew Bain covers recruiting and pretty much anything else under the sports sun for the Des Moines Register and USA TODAY Network.Contact him atmbain@dmreg.comand follow him on Twitter@MatthewBain_.

Iowa high school state track: Results, recap from Thursday's events at Drake (2024)
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