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DES MOINES – Qualifying for seven different track events across the boys and girls lineups, Mount Ayr’s Brad Elliott was excited with how the track and field season ended at Drake University on the blue oval at the Co-ed State Track Meet.
The Raiderette shuttle hurdle recorded a 12th place finish, just getting edged out of a top-8 spot needed to qualify for the finals.
Keirston Klommhaus, Samantha Stewart, Jaycee Knight and Alyssa Johnson teammed up to run the prelim in 1:09.93, besting its season’s record by nearly three-tenths of a second.
Joining Klommhaus were Caylie Hickman, Ryann Martin and Bailey Anderson in the 4x200 meter relay that took 18th in a time of 1:50.94, also setting a new top mark on the year.
The Raider boys sent three distance relay teams to the blue oval with the best result coming in the distance medley where John Young, Connor Eaton, Hunter Arends and Isaac Timmerman earned 18th in a time of 3:45.14.
“The D’Med we ran well. We got there in a nice pack for our first three runners. We had a little bit of a handoff issue. They’re going to happen between 200s sometimes, but we were in good position,” said boys coach Brad Elliott.
Timmerman ran a 2:05 split on the 800 portion of the distance medley, his second best split of the year in the event.
In the 4x400, Marcus Daughton, Dawson Frost, Eaton and Arends didn’t quite hit their best stride, but Elliot was impressed with the foursome’s ability to get to the highest stage of the season.
Chase Smith shot out of the gates in the 4x800, taking a commanding lead after the first lap of the event. Smith slowly ran out of gas and was reeled back in by the competition, but Daughton, Timmerman and Will Hunt combined for a time of 8:43.92.
“These kids have battled all year in all kinds of conditions. So to be able to come up here and run in the weather like its been and everything obviously its a shock to these runners when you’re running in 14 degrees warmer weather,” Elliott said. “I’m really proud of these guys to making it to this point in the season.”
As individuals, Anderson and Johnson both qualified for one event each at the blue oval.
Anderson ran her 200 meter dash preliminary in 27.48, which wasn’t quite good enough to advance to the finals.
Johnson completed the 100 meter hurdles in 16.26, recording her second best mark of the season, but also didn’t qualify for the finals.
“We’re excited. It’s one of those things too we are really proud of our girls that ran up here too. Our programs both feed off each other’s success,” said Elliott. “A year like this, we got the three longest relays of the meet so that’s a good testament to the work ethic the kids had.
Field events
On the infield Friday, MacKenzie Shields cleared her second attempt at 4 feet, 9 inches and her third attempt at 4-11, but couldn’t get up over a bar set above five feet.
Shields, who had cleared 5-2 earlier this season, didn’t earn a place medal, but did get to finish the year at the state meet.
Sara Winemiller took home an eighth place medal in the shot put Thursday. That full story can be found in Friday’s edition of the News Advertiser.
Mount Ayr results
Girls
200 meter dash – 1. Jordyn Pester, MVAOCOU, 25.29 (finals); 22. Bailey Anderson, Mount Ayr, 27.48 (prelims).
Shuttle hurdle prelims – 1. Beckman, 1:07.10 (finals); 12. Mount Ayr, (Keirston Klommhaus, Samantha Stewart, Jaycee Knight, Alyssa Johnson), 1:09.93 (prelims).
100 meter hurdles prelims – 1. Heather Boeckenstedt, Beckman, 15.33 (finals); 13. Alyssa Johnson, Mount Ayr, 16.26 (prelims).
4x200 meter relay – 1. Sumner-Fredricksburg, 1:44.15; 18. Mount Ayr, (Caylie Hickman. Keirston Klommhaus, Ryann Martin, Bailey Anderson), 1:50.94.
Boys
4x800 meter relay – 1. Pekin, 7:59.95; 24. Mount Ayr, (Chase Smith, Marcus Daughton, Will Hunt, Isaac Timmerman), 8:43.92.
Distance medley – 1. Pekin, 3:31.49; 18. Mount Ayr, (John Young, Connor Eaton, Hunter Arends, Isaac Timmerman), 3:45.14.
4x400 meter relay prelims – 1. Pekin, 3:21.76 (finals); 23. Mount Ayr, (Marcus Daughton, Dawson Frost, Connor Eaton, Hunter Arends) 3:39.52 (prelims).