(Story by Stephen McDaniel)
With the CIML Conference meet now in the books, the Ankeny and Ankeny Centennial boys’ track teams have their eyes set on their respective Class 4A state qualifying meets.
The Jaguars crowned five champions on their way to a sixth-place overall finish with 74 points, while the Hawks crowned one individual champion and one relay champion while placing seventh with 61 points in Thursday’s meet at Waukee Northwest.
Centennial came in as the defending champs, but the Jaguars were dethroned by Waukee Northwest. The Wolves racked up 126 points to edge runner-up Johnston by five points.
“As a team effort I was very satisfied,” said Ankeny coach Jordan Mullen. “A lot of great PRs for kids tonight, and that’s what we want this time of year. I’m very proud of the team as a whole.”
Plenty of top times in the state were produced amongst the conference champions between the Hawks and the Jaguars.
Ankeny hurdler and Iowa commit Hayden Carlson may just be on his way to adding another state title to his resume in the 110 hurdles.
Carlson notched the state’s new best time this season along with the 22nd best high school time across the country when he won the event with a time of 13.70 seconds, breaking his own school record. It was his third straight conference title in the 110 hurdles.
Teammate Sam Madsen followed in fourth place at 14.40.
“Hayden and Sam are both running great times,” Mullen said. “They are looking really good right now. Sam was just off his season best and Hayden lowered his school record by running 13.70 and taking the number one spot in the state.”
Ankeny’s sprint medley relay team of Finn McClure, Owen Fischer, Quin Somers and Isaiah Smith also produced the state’s third best time by winning the event in 1:31.85. The Centennial team of James Naert, Kyler Jones, Noah Ross and Brecken Allen finished fourth in 1:32.26 and recorded the state’s seventh fastest time in the event.
“We loaded a couple things up that we needed to see, and they performed,” Mullen said. “The sprint med was really big for us. We loaded that up to see what we could do, and they didn’t disappoint. I haven’t seen all the updated times from tonight in 4A, but our time tonight is going to make us really competitive in that event.”
For the Jaguars, senior Cohen Moll set his new personal best and earned the state’s 12th best time while winning the 1,600 in 4:16.00. Teammate Jax Alvarez took third in 4:16.82, which ranks 16th in the state.
Centennial freshman Logan Shwery captured four titles competing in wheelchair events. He won the 100 (21.45), 200 (43.74) and 400 (1:29.02) and also had a toss of 9 feet 7 inches to win the shot put.
Allen was the runner-up in the 400 for the Jaguars with a time of 49.68. The Ankeny duo of Smith and Somers finished right behind Allen, placing third in 50.01 and fifth in 50.31, respectively.
The Centennial 4×100 relay team of Naert, Jones, Ross and Heisman Dickinson placed second in 41.88. The Jaguars posted the state’s ninth fastest time.
Ross took third in the 100 in 10.82. Dickinson added a fourth-place finish in the long jump with a leap of 21 feet 8 inches.
Ankeny’s shuttle hurdle relay team of Carlson, Madsen, Jack Romig and Norman Ha placed second in a time of 57.19. The Centennial team of Gavin Matheny, Devin Boyle, Anders Peck and Nic Ryan took fourth in 59.83.
The Hawks also got a runner-up finish from the 4×200 relay team of McClure, Treyton Grossman, Cooper McDowell and Fischer. They posted the state’s fifth best time of 1:27.61.
“The shuttle hurdle had another big PR on the year and we’ve got to clean a few things up, but that group is going to be real tough come state,” Mullen said. “The 4×2 had another great run, eclipsing their season best. They are tuned up and ready to rock.”
Now both squads will shift their focus to their respective Class 4A state qualifier meets with hopes of sending plenty of athletes back to the blue oval for the state meet in two weeks.
Centennial will turn around and head right back to Northwest on Thursday for its state qualifying meet. Ankeny, meanwhile, will have a long road trip as the Hawks head out to the Gale Wickersham Athletic Complex in Council Bluffs for their qualifying meet.
“As a team and staff we are feeling good,” Mullen said. “We know we have a big challenge ahead of us in the next two weeks, but we’re going to focus on Ankeny and see if we can’t bring a lot of noise the rest of this season.”
