Track begins with IATC Indoor Championships

AMES — Last week, athletes had a chance to kick off their track and field season with the IATC Indoor Championships in Ames.

Morgan Cooley of East Union and Emma Reynolds and Aubree Shields of Mount Ayr came away with gold-medal performances.

Not only did Cooley win the boys shot put, he shattered the Class 1A meet record, took the overall meet record and broke the East Union school record. His mark of 59-11 was more than 6 feet farther than the previous Class 1A record and it just topped the meet record of 59-4.75. Four of his six throws were farther than the previous Class 1A record.

The Raiderettes came out to show they are real competitors this season, posting two first-place finishes, two second-place events and two fourth-place relays.

Reynolds, a sophomore, won the 200m dash in 26.35 and came second in the 400 with a time of 59.77.

In the girls high jump, Shields, a senior, won with a mark of 5-03. She and Reynolds were both on the second-place 4x400m relay team with teammates Kate Newton and Tatum Friedrich. The team ran a time of 4:19.03.

The girls 4x800, comprised of Newton, Friedrich, Ava England and Addison Doolittle, finished fourth with 10:53.57. Also placing fourth was the 4x100 team of Reynolds, Shields, Chloe Robb and Payton Worthington, running 52.66.

Creston sent 14 events, the girls relays leading the way with a sixth-place 4x800 and a seventh-place sprint medley relay.

Running the 4x800m relay were Reese Strunk, Hope Henderson, Nevaeh Adamson and Cora Smith. The finished in 10:23.37. Henderson and Smith were on the 2025 team that medaled at state.

The sprint medley was comprised of Avery Staver, Braylee Pokorny, Kadley Bailey and Smith. They ran 1:57.62.

Southwest Valley had strong performances out of Gaven Wetzel and Brody Crozier, both former state-qualifiers. Wetzel placed fourth in the high jump, clearing 5-09. Crozier leapt 20-00.75 in the long jump for sixth.

The Lenox Tigers had four events in the top seven, led by Dawson Evans placing fourth in the 60m hurdles in 8.71 seconds. He was also on the fifth-place shuddle hurdle relay (60m) that ran a 35.83. The team was also comprised of Kolben Robinson, Caden Kaufman and Wylie Brokaw.

Taking seventh was McKinzie Menefee in the 400m dash (1:04.1) and the girls sprint medley, comprised of Carley Larson, Reese Reed, Addison Junker and Menefee. They ran 2:01.56.

Full results can be found here.

The Panthers open their season next Thursday, March, 26, at Carroll.