Smith, Mikkelsen medal at state

DES MOINES — Two Creston athletes earned medals at the Iowa High School Track and Field Championships last weekend at Drake Stadium.

Junior Tom Mikkelsen became a two-time state medalist in the shot put, finishing seventh with a throw of 54-05.50 on Friday. Mikkelsen also placed seventh a year ago at 53-02.75.

Sophomore Cora Smith broke her school record in the 400 meters in placing sixth Thursday in 57.77. Smith also ran on two of the three Panther state-qualifying relays.

Mikkelsen’s first attempt in the preliminaries was 49-08.25, but he advanced to the finals on the strength of his 54-05.50 distance on his third throw. In the finals he went 53-06.25, 54-04.75 with one foul. Washington junior Greyson Hartman won the event at 60-04.75.

“I knew I was going to have to throw pretty well today if I wanted to place,” Mikkelsen said. “I was thinking 53 to 55 range. Class 3A has a lot of good throwers.”

Panther assistant coach Brian Morrison, who oversees the shot put and discus athletes, saw Mikkelsen make adjustments to get the throw he needed to advance to the finals.

“Making the finals was his goal and he was steady after that first one,” Morrison said. “He was able to get two 54-foot throws off. If you look at all of the classes, Class 3A is by far the best class in the shot put this year. He knew he had to have a good one to medal.”

Co-head coach Maggie Arnold said Mikkelsen isn’t as big as many of the Class 3A shot put athletes, but he makes up for it in technique and an explosive move on the release.

“He thought he wanted to spin this season so he worked on that for awhile, but he just couldn’t get the distance he wanted and went back to the glide,” Arnold said. “He’s short with fast-twitch muscles, and the glide works really well for him. He’s a catcher, and he just has that pop.”

“His hips are as quick as you can find in the shot put,” said co-head coach Clay Arnold.

Maggie Arnold said Mikkelsen was “overthrowing” at the end of his release in the discus and did not place on Thursday with three fouls in the preliminary flight.

Senior Jaycee Hanson competed in the girls shot put state meet, taking 24th at 33-00.25.

400 medalist

Smith drew lane one for her heat in the 400 meters as the seventh-best qualifier at 58.51 from the qualifying meet. Smith improved on that time with her 57.77 on Thursday to earn the sixth-place medal.

“It’s nice to get that lane assignment and see what’s ahead of me,” said Smith, who doesn’t mind the sharper turns from the inside lane. “Against great competition like that, I knew I could put in a good run and get a PR. I like the 400 because I can gain speed with my power and have a good finish.”

Smith broke Stephanie Nordyke’s 2007 record of 25.85 by running 25.70 in the 200 meters on Thursday, but did not advance to Saturday’s finals. She had the 15th best time among 24 competitors.

“Cora came in seventh in the 400 and got sixth in breaking her own school record,” Maggie Arnold said. “She got out well on her start. She likes that inside lane to see people on the turn, and she took advantage of that. In the 200 that was a personal best for her and a school record. She ran well.”

The girls 4x100 relay team of Avery Staver, Smith, Kadley Bailey and Braylee Pokorny was 15th on Friday in 50.01, just off of their 49.99 school record.

“Avery ran a really nice leadoff leg for us,” Maggie Arnold said. “She’s been an excellent starter for us this year in the relays.”

The sprint medley unit of Staver, Pokorny, Kadley Bailey and Smith was 18th in 1:51.76, just .1 off of their season best.

“Kadley Bailey’s 200 leg (24.84) was our strongest leg of that race today,” Maggie Arnold said. “That was a good way for her to finish her career on the track.”

Both the Creston girls and Creston boys were entered in the 4x800 relay races at state. The girls 4x800 unit of Maylee Riley, Nevaeh Adamson, Reese Strunk and Hope Henderson was 17th in 9:55.80.

While the time was shy of their 9:51.65 season best, Maggie Arnold said Riley’s leadoff leg of 2.21.81 was a highlight. The Panthers were in fifth place at the first exchange.

The boys 4x800 also had a strong start as Ryder Baird clocked a 2:02 leadoff leg. Other runners were Jace Hanson, Matthew Warner and Merrick Wieland, who subbed for the injured Wyatt Goodenberger. Creston was 24th in 8:48.89.