Wolverines leave their mark in six state events

DES MOINES — Izzy Eisbach closed her high school track and field career last Saturday with a personal record in the 1500m run.

It wasn’t the school record, and it wasn’t quite the time she wanted, but Eisbach said she was grateful to finish her career on the blue oval at Drake Stadium with her friends.

Eisbach’s race capped a run of six combined events for Nodaway Valley at the Iowa High School State Track and Field Championships.

She finished in 4:54.87, taking 10th place. Megan Winkelmann’s school record, set in 2003, is 4:51.60. Van Meter junior Laura Streck won the Class 2A girls title in 4:34.28.

Eisbach told Dan Dickinson that last year, she was playing club basketball during track season, which limited her time on the oval. Though she will go on to play basketball at Northwest Missouri State University, she was able to experience a full track season with her teammates this year.

The Wolverines competed in Class 2A this season, which Eisbach said was a jump in competition.

“I’d say it’s definitely been a big jump from 1A to 2A. I’ve met a great, new amount of friends in 2A, and that’s been a lot of fun,” Eisbach said. “It was about stepping up my game. I had a good season last year — it was kind of hard playing AAU basketball, so I wasn’t here every meet — but this year I’ve been here full-time, just trying to put in the work.”

Relays finish at state

The Wolverine girls also competed in two relays at state. They ran in the distance medley Friday and the 4x800m relay Thursday.

Kylie Nelson, Emma Boswell, Abby Nelson and Eisbach ran 4:24.39 in the distance medley to finish 22nd. Grundy Center won in 4:09.01, the 13th-best time in Iowa history.

Kylie Nelson, also a senior, opened the distance medley with the first 200m leg.

“I just tried to get off strong on the opening leg,” she said. “The crowd was really nice and we’re glad the weather got a little warmer before we started running.”

Boswell handed off to Abby Nelson, a freshman, for the 400m leg. Eisbach ran the 800m anchor.

“Emma and I’s handoff felt pretty good,” Abby Nelson said. “I’m not really sure of the position we were in, but I tried getting ahead of some girls. I’m really grateful to be able to get to do this with these three seniors.”

The girls were 24th in the 4x800m relay with Abby Nelson, Allie Cornelison, Kylie Nelson and Eisbach on Thursday, but their time of 10:22.88 was a season best. Grundy Center finished first in 9:17.35, the seventh-fastest time in Iowa history.

“We had a pretty good day,” Cornelison said after the 4x800m relay. “The environment’s pretty nice and I’m just glad to have been here with my teammates.”

Boswell jumps twice

Boswell had similar thoughts after the long jump, also on Thursday. Her leap of 15-3.5 placed her 18th. Mid-Prairie, Wellman’s Jeorgia Evans won the Class 2A girls title with a jump of 18-1.

Boswell was not able to clear the opening height in the high jump the next day.

The former Orient-Macksburg Bulldog made state multiple times in jumping events throughout her career.

“I didn’t really jump my best today, but I’m just really excited to be here,” Boswell said. “I’m just really glad to be here with my team. Last year I didn’t have a very big team, but this year, relying on my teammates, they’re hyping me up. We’re doing things together, which is really nice.”

Boys D-Med is 18th

The Nodaway Valley boys were 18th Friday in the distance medley. Cassius Burnside, Logan Lantz, Titan Foster and Gabe Winkelmann ran 3:41.23, and all four runners will return next year. Spirit Lake won in 3:27.31, the seventh-fastest time in Iowa history.

“I felt good out of the blocks. We kind of missed the handoff — it was all on me and we could’ve run better,” Burnside said. “But, it is what it is, and we were here.”

Lantz described the state track meet as a “pretty good vibe.”

“It’s loud, everybody’s cheering. The track’s pretty nice — it feels like carpet when you’re running around it,” Lantz said. “I got out well on my leg of the race. I had to look back to get the handoff done, but other than that, I thought it was a great race.”

Foster felt both the start and finish of his 400m leg went well.

“The last 50 I thought I had a good kick — I usually have a good kick,” he said. “We have a young team.”

Winkelmann had a strong season individually and as part of his team’s relays. Though he is just a sophomore, Winkelmann was asked what advice he would give to younger runners.

“In an 800, get out strong, but go with what you’re comfortable with,” Winkelmann said. “Don’t try to overdo it out of the gun, because it will catch up to you in the end. At the same time, you’ve gotta make it hurt and try your hardest.”

There were no seniors on this year’s Nodaway Valley boys track and field team. Seniors for the girls were Eisbach, Boswell, Kylie Nelson and Haisley Zoubek.

Editor’s Note: Dan Dickinson contributed to this report.