Another week of high school track and field around southeast Iowa begins with a majority of local boys’ teams competing later today and girls’ teams in action tomorrow. Among the teams in action is the Washington boys. The Demons will take part in the Falcon Relays today in Burlington, hosted by West Burlington-Notre Dame. Washington senior Elijah Morris will be looking to continue his strong start to the season, as the defending Class 3A state champion in the 400-meter dash has already picked up wins in the 100 and 400 this season. Demon senior Brayden Hartman will attempt to finish top-two in the shot put for the third time in the campaign.
The Washington girls have been off since March 14th but return to action during the ladies’ half of the Falcon Relays tomorrow. Senior Grace Voss and freshman Irish Dahl each had third-place finishes in the high jump and 800 meters, respectively, at Wartburg College. They also joined up with sophomore Lauren Horak and junior Abigail Kleese to win the 4-by-800-meter relay and will look to do it again tomorrow afternoon.
Winfield-Mount Union will also take part in the Falcon Relays. Wolves junior Gabriel Hemsworth will be looking for a third straight victory in the 400-meter hurdles, as will classmate Cam Buffington in the long jump. WMU’s team of Hemsworth, Buffington, junior Abram Edwards and sophomore Kholby Newson won the distance medley at the Steve Roth Relays Thursday in Washington and look for the same later today.
The Winfield-Mount Union girls will try to leap past the competition at the Falcon Relays tomorrow behind senior Keetyn Townsley, who won the 100-meter hurdles and ran a leg in the winning 4-by-100 shuttle hurdles for WMU last time out at the Columbus Early Bird Meet. The Highland Husky boys round out the local teams descending on Burlington.
Three area teams will be headed to Pekin for the Ruritan Relays today. That includes WACO, which is hoping senior Odee Shtefanchuk replicates his whopping 141-foot discus toss that was best across all classes at the Steve Roth Relays. The Warriors’ 4-by-110 shuttle hurdles team of sophomores Clayton Miller and Gage Samo and seniors Isaac Oswald and Simeon Reichenbach also looks for a repeat win.
Three teams also go to the Belle Plaine Girls’ Invitational tomorrow. The Keota Eagles are hoping freshman Olivia Lyle’s debut at the South Iowa Cedar League Indoor Championships will carry over to Belle Plaine, as she had top-four finishes in both the 60 and 200 meters.
The Sigourney boys come to Pekin leaning on their youth. Freshman Landon Crow had the Savages’ best individual finish at the SICL indoor meet last time out and will look to repeat or better this third-place finish in the 800. Junior Erin Dawson also had a third-place finish at the conference meet in the high jump and will look for similar results tomorrow at Belle Plaine.
Lone Tree’s 800-meter sprint medley team of Andrew Hotz, Gabe Forbes, Brody Magruder and Ethan Bockelman will look to build on the bronze medal they earned the Lions at Columbus Monday. The Lone Tree girls will look for another big performance tomorrow in Belle Plaine from freshman Ava Christofferson, who won both the 100 and 200 in her debut Monday.