April 20, 2024

Mount Ayr boys endure first day of state meet

By TYLER HETU
Image 1 of 2

Kolben Klommhaus clears a hurdle during the first leg of Mount Ayr's preliminary shuttle hurdle relay. The Raiders ran the 15th best time in the 2A preliminaries, clocking in at 1:03.69. (CNA photo)

DES MOINES – The Raiders braved the heat Thursday, running the 4x800 and the shuttle hurdle relay in the hottest conditions of the season.

As the temperature climbed through the mid-morning to early afternoon, it didn't phase the group one bit.

"I like the heat. It felt really good," said Trae Ehlen. "It had to be cold and 58 or whatever it was for qualifying, so it was really nice."

Chase Smith, Isaac Timmerman, Ehlen and Nathan Hauge hit the track for the 4x800 just after 12 p.m., trying to improve on the season best 8:34.51 that was set in Panora last Friday.

The group did just that, edging the time from a week prior at 8:29.37. The time was eighth best in their heat and 18th best in Class 2A.

The group's strategy was simple – push it until the end.

"For the race coach told us to go as hard as you could," said Ehlen. "We knew at the last 200 to push it through."

"I think we pushed through it really well as a whole for not really training or working in these conditions and came out here and ran a new season best time," said Timmerman. "... That's pretty awesome we're able to do that. We've got some young guys so they're under a lot of pressure. ... They performed really well."

The third leg of the four, Ehlen felt confident in his split time due to chasing those in front of him.

"It felt really food. That last lap felt really good," said Ehlen. "I think chasing people is where I'm better at. Getting out in front is keeping pace and I like someone to push me so I can do what I need to do."

In the shuttle hurdle preliminaries, the Mount Ayr boys clocked in at 1:03.69, just off the pace of their qualifying time of 1:03.19 for second place in its heat.

The quartet of Kolben Klommhaus, Briar Knapp, Dawson Frost and Keelan Klommhaus took 15th overall in the preliminaries, falling under four seconds behind Dike-NH's time of 59.64 and missing the mark to advance to the finals Saturday.

UP NEXT – The Mount Ayr boys have a long day ahead of them Friday, running the 4x200 at 10:20 a.m., the distance medley at 12 p.m., the 4x100 at 1 p.m. and the 4x400 at 2 p.m.The 4X1 and 4X4 are preliminary races.

Results

4x800 – 1. South Hamilton 8:01.23; 2. Underwood 8:03.05; 3. Bellevue 8:08.75; 4. Madrid 8:09.27; 5. Lake Mills 8:10.97; 6. MCAUCOU 8:19.84; 7. Northeast 8:20.66; 8. North Linn 8;20.93; 9. Tipton 8:21.25; 10. Roland-Story 8:21.87. 18. Mount Ayr (Chase Smith, Isaac Timmerman, Trae Ehlen, Nathan Hague) 8:29.37.

Shuttle hurdle (preliminaries) – 1. Dike-New Hartford 59.64; 2. Des Moines Christian 1:00.09; 3. Treynor 1:00.43; 4. Lake Mills 1:01.30; 5. South Central Calhoun 1:01.35; 6. Sibley-Ocheyedean 1:01.36; 7. Olewein 1:01.37; 8. PCM, Monroe 1:01.45; 9. Tipton 1:01.71; 10. Davis County 1:01.72; 15. Mount Ayr (Kolben Klommhaus, Briar Knapp, Dawson Frost, Keelan Klommhaus), 1:03.69.