Area athletes make the blue standard, qualify for Drake Relays

DES MOINES — The Creston News Advertiser has a group of high school track and field events that made the cut for the prestigous Drake Relays Thursday.

From Creston, senior Kelsey Fields qualified in the shot put and discus. Her best throw in the shot put is 43 feet, 11 1/2 inches, which is second-best in the state. Her season best in the discus is 122 feet, 1 inch, which is tied for 11th best in the state.

Nodaway Valley junior Maddax DeVault qualified in the 100-meter hurdles. She carries a season best in the event of 16.32 seconds. She is on the shuttle hurdle that qualified, with Maddie Fry, Natalie Yonker and Annika Nelson, and their season best is 1:09.40. DeVault is also on a Relays qualifying 4x100 with Jena Yonker, Nelson and Fry that qualified with a season best time of 52.11 seconds. Fry qualified also in the long jump with a season best mark of 16 feet, 9 1/2 inches.

Clarke sophomore Josey Dunbar qualified in the long jump, going 16 feet, 7 inches on her farthest leap.

In college action, Southwestern Community College’s mens 4x100-meter relay, comprised of Roland Hure, Justin Cunningham, Benjamin Aliel and Nyle Buchanan, qualified for Friday and Saturday action.

The schedule for area qualifiers is as follows:

Thursday

9:30 a.m. Girls discus

9:43 a.m. Girls 4x100 prelims

10:47 a.m. Girls shuttle hurdle final

1:30 p.m. Girls shot put

1:30 p.m. Girls long jump

1:31 p.m. 100M hurdles final

2:39 p.m. Girls 4x100 final

Friday

12:14 p.m. College mens 4x100 prelims

Saturday

10:37 a.m. College mens 4x100 final