Highland’s Keiffer Sexton runs the 3200 meter run at the Class 1A District 10 meet last Thursday in Wayland. Sexton qualfiied for the Iowa Girls’ and Boys’ State Track Meet 2015 in the 1600 and 3200 meter runs. Photo by KCII’s Andrew Jones.

While other KCII area teams are showcasing their sprinters this week in Des Moines, the Highland Huskies boys’ track team will put their top two distance runners on display at Iowa’s biggest track meet of the year. The Huskies have qualified for four events at this week’s Iowa Girls’ and Boys’ State Track Meet 2015 including: the 1600 meter run, the 3200 meter run, the 110 high hurdles, and the shot put competition.

Junior Keiffer Sexton is the only athlete from Highland competing in multiple events at Drake Stadium, representing the Huskies in the 1600 and 3200 meter runs. He clocked the one mile run in 4:43.52, the third best finish at the Class 1A District 10 meet, and posted a two mile time of 10:16.15, the second quickest time in the district. Sexton was among the fastest 12 times in the state not to win their district meet, allowing him to run on the blue oval for a second straight season.

Making the return trip to Des Moines with Sexton is senior Evan Mahler, who also competed in last year’s 1600 and 3200 meter runs at Drake Stadium. Mahler only qualified for the 3200 meter run in this year’s track meet, posting a two mile time of 10:23.59. Mahler finished the district meet in sixth place, but recorded the 12th best time in Class 1A.

Senior Jake Yeggy will represent the Huskies in the field events. Yeggy, who last year qualified in the discus throw, will throw the shot put this week at Drake Stadium. He won the district’s event, hurling the shot 47 feet 0.25 inches. His throw is the 15th farthest among the 24 person field.

Senior Ben Bean rounds out the state qualifiers for Highland, making the cut in the 110 meter high hurdles. Bean’s district run of 16.1 seconds was the fourth best at last Thursday’s district meet, but was 16th best time in Class 1A.

The firs events for the Highland boys’ track team will be Thursday at 3:50 p.m. when Sexton and Mahler participates in the 3200 meter run.