STATE: Storm, Rebels send multiple events to Des Moines

May 13—MONTICELLO — Both Northeast and Camanche ensured plenty of athletes will be representing the area next week at the Iowa High School State Track and Field Championships in Des Moines after a stellar performance at the Class 2A qualifier in Monticello Tuesday night.

Leading the way was the Rebels.

They kicked things off the right way. The boys came out and finished second in the Sprint Medley Relay to earn the automatic qualifying spot. The Sprint Medley proved to be a tight race, with the top five teams all finishing within 1.2 seconds of each other. They continued the trend with a victory in the Distance Medley, where both Carter Jargo and Caleb Gruhn held off Tipton runners directly behind them for the entirety of their middle distance legs to clock in at 3:39.95.

"I think mainly, Caleb's leadership," Carter Jargo said. "He's pushed us all throughout the season. He's been a good leader and I think that pushed us tonight."

The boys also won the 4x100 relay, coming in with the top time of 44.33.

"I think knowing it's our coaches [Mike Mattis] last season before retiring, I think it's really pushing us to give him the best season we can," Jargo said.

Jimmy Weispfenning took an individual qualifying spot, coming in second place in the 200-meter dash. Weispfenning crossed the finish line at 23.24 to earn a spot.

The girls started qualifying in the field events. Elizabeth Chambers and Alyssa Fowler both nabbed qualifying spots in the high jump, with Fowler winning the event cleaning 5-03 and Chambers coming in as runner-up At 5-02.

"It's very cool, it's awesome," Fowler said. "[We] were really focused I would say, but trying to have fun at the same time.

"I just feel like I'm more confident than I ever way."

The Northeast girls' Sprint Medley also won their race, finishing in 1:52.96. That was better than the runner-up time by two and a half seconds. The girls' also qualified in the 4x400, which finished second in 4:14.18.

"I think we're [clicking]," Paige Holst said. "At the beginning of the season, we didn't really run the Sprint Med but as the season progressed we figured out that was a race we could really do well in. Handing off to Ellie [Rickertsen] is just good, the chemistry is there."

The Lady Rebels will be running the 4x100 at state with an automatic berth, finishing second by edging out Camanche by just 0.01 seconds on Thursday night. They clocked in at 51.56 to take the spot.

"I think Drake [Relays] was a big milestone for us," Paige Holst said. "We hadn't really clicked before that and it was just a matter of handoffs and getting to know each other .. as the season has progressed we've definitely gotten a lot better at that."

Ellie Rickertsen will defend both her state titles as a senior. Rickertsen won the 100-meter hurdles and 400-meter hurdles to claim her spot in the state field.

The Storm also pushed a couple of field events through with automatic berths. In the high jump, freshman Tyson Seeser missed 6-01, and then ran out of time to jump on the second. That left him with one last attempt.

"I was like I just hope I can get over it," Seeser said.

Seeser cleared the bar to finish second and make his first trip to Drake Stadium.

"I feel great, I gave it all I had," Seeser said. "Dream come true as a freshman."

The Camanche boys will wait on a number of events, including the 4x100, to see if they advance more.

Allison Kenneavy earned her second straight state trip in the shot put. Kenneavy launched it 36-02.50 to finish second in the event. Kenneavy will also be throwing in the discus, finishing with a runner-up in that event as well. Kenneavy hit 103-08 in that event to advance.

Junior Grace Sanderson finished second in the long jump with a leap of 16-07, sending her back to the Blue Oval. It will be Sanderson's first state appearance, but she jumped for Camanche at the Drake Relays.

She earned a second event, along with teammate Ella Blinkinsop, in the 100-meter dash. Blinkinsop won the event, with Sanderson coming in second.

At the end of the race, Blinkinsop turned around and embraced Northeast's Paige Holst, who came in third behind the Camanche runners.

"Practicing with Gracie all the time she always pushes me, and Paige is an amazing competitor," Blinkinsop said.

Blinkinsop will also run the 200 at Drake next week. She won that event in 27.10 to take her second individual qualifying spot.

"I'm really proud of myself and everyone else I raced against," Blinkinsop said. "We came a really long way this entire season."

The remaining events will wait to see if they're part of the eight next best finishes to take their spots. The Clinton Herald will have updated qualifying lists on Friday.

IRISH THROWERS QUALIFY, WAIT ON AT-LARGE

LISBON — Prince of Peace knows that they're sending two events to Drake Stadium next week. They have to wait to hear on a couple more.

Lilly Isenhour and Sarah Moeller both ensured repeat trips in the throws With automatic state berths. Isenhour won the discus, launching the disc 118-05 and sending her to Des Moines. Moeller threw the shot 36-08.25 to win that event and give her the chance to compete at Drake Stadium.

Isenhour finished second in the shot put with a throw of 36-04. That means she will have to wait to see if her throw will put her in the next 14.

Moeller finished third in the discus, throwing 110-04. She will also wait to see if she qualified with an at-large berth.

The Clinton Herald will have updated qualifying lists on the Clinton Herald website Friday.