Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The high school portion of the 109th edition of the Drake Relays gets underway on Thursday at Drake Stadium in Des Moines with the meet concluding on Saturday afternoon.

Here is a closer look at every high school boys event that features an area athlete.

100 Meters

Day/Time: Friday, 8:40 a.m. (Prelims); Friday 2:29 p.m. (Finals)

Number of Qualifiers: 32

Drake Relays Record: James Harrington (Cedar Falls) 10.61, 2012

State Leader: Tanner Iske (West Liberty) 10.68

Area Qualifiers: 18. Gabe Caruthers (West High) 11.09

Why to Watch: The title of fastest high school boy in the state is up for grabs in the always exciting Drake Relays 100.

West Liberty senior Tanner Iske has the top qualifying time at 10.68 while West High’s Gabe Caruthers has 18th fastest qualifying time.

800 Meters

Day/Time: Friday, 2:13 p.m.

Number of Qualifiers: 16

Drake Relays Record: Ryan Schweizer (West Des Moines Dowling) 1:51.76, 2016

State Leader: Riley Bauer (North Union) 1:57.28

Area Qualifiers: 11. Daniel Brown (City High) 1:58.63; 12. JP Rethwisch (City High) 1:58.64; 16. Jeff Garbutt (West High) 1:59.38

Why to Watch: With the top eight qualifiers are separated by a little more than half a second this sets up as one of the more intriguing running events of the weekend.

The City High duo of Daniel Brown and JP Rethwisch are among a large group of contenders that features ten runners with top times separated by one second.

1,600 Meters

Day/Time: Saturday, 4:07 p.m.

Number of Qualifiers: 22

Drake Relays Record: Josh Evans (Linn-Mar) 4:10.76, 2014

State Leader: Camden Cox (Ankeny Centennial) 4:19.96

Area Qualifiers: 22. Kolby Greiner (West High) 4:29.98

Why to Watch: Greiner was 10th in the 1,600 last season and will try to improve on that performance in his second Drake Relays appearance.

Ankeny Centennial senior Camden Cox has the state’s top time by more than three seconds.

3,200 Meters

Day/Time: Thursday, 5:25 p.m.

Number of Qualifiers: 22

Drake Relays Record: Albert Meier (Boone) 8:58.46, 2014

State Leader: Gable Sieperda (Central Lyon) 9:24

Area Qualifiers: 7. Kolby Greiner (West High) 9:35.24

Why to Watch: Greiner will be shooting for a second consecutive top-six finish in the 3,200 after placing sixth in his Drake Relays debut last season.

The junior clocked his fastest time of the season (9:35.24) his last time out at the Forwald/Coleman Relays last Thursday and enters with the sixth fastest time in the state.

110 Hurdles

Day/Time: Friday, 8:15 a.m. (Prelims); 10:34 a.m. (Finals)

Number of Qualifiers: 32

Drake Relays Record: Joah Banks (Cedar Rapids Prairie) 14.01, 2017

State Leader: Riley Moss (Ankeny Centennial) 13.91

Area Qualifiers: 9. Luke Ira (Solon) 14.96; 15. Seb Johanson (CCA) 15.04; 28. Cole Mabry (West High) 15.32

Why to Watch: Moss is the clear favorite after blazing a 13.91 in his final tune-up for Drake last Saturday.

Solon senior Luke Ira and Clear Creek Amana senior Seb Johanson could push for trips to the finals in their Drake Relays debuts.

Ira enters with the ninth best time and Johanson has the 15th fastest in the state.

West High junior Cole Mabry, an Iowa State football target is making his first Drake Relays hurdles appearance.

400 Hurdles

Day/Time: Saturday, 12:52 p.m.

Number of Qualifiers: 16

Drake Relays Record: Dustin Avey (Ames) 51.94, 1995

State Leader: Austin West (West High) 52.39

Area Qualifiers: 1. Austin West (West High) 52.39; 7. Zach Jones (City High) 54.87

Why to Watch: West has thrived in the 400 hurdles since taking on the event full-time last year and could push the 23-year old Drake record held by Dustin Avey of Ames.

The senior clocked a state-leading 52.39 at the Forwald/Coleman Relays last week and has the fastest time in the state this season by more than a second.

Don’t count out City High senior Zach Jones who is less than a second off the second best qualifying time.

Discus

Day/Time: Thursday, 4 p.m.

Number of Qualifiers: 24

Drake Relays Record: Chase Madison (Newton) 199-1, 2004

State Leader: Nick Phelps (Kingsley-Pierson/Woodbury Central) 196-2

Area Qualifiers: 7. Jonathan Gannon (West High) 168-6; 22. Coal Flansburg (Solon) 158-7

Why to Watch: Everyone is chasing Phelps who enters with the best toss in the state by nearly 15 feet.

Among the contenders planning to push Phelps is West High senior Jonathan Gannon, a two-time Drake Relays qualifier that finished seventh a year ago.

Solon junior and recent Iowa State football commit Coal Flansburg will be making his Drake Relays debut.

Shot put

Day/Time: Friday, 8:30 a.m.

Number of Qualifiers: 24

Drake Relays Record: Doug Lane (Cedar Rapids Jefferson) 67-2 ¼, 1968

State Leader: Nick Phelps (Kingsley-Pierson/Woodbury Central) 66-5 ½

Area Qualifiers: 5. Landon Green (West High) 58-11; 8. Tyler Linderbaum (Solon) 55-11; 18. Luke Stein (Regina) 53-2

Why to Watch: If he handles his business in the discus on Thursday Phelps will be attempting to become the second athlete in as many years to complete the Drake Relays throwing sweep in the shot put.

Last season it was Tristan Wirfs who swept the throwing events, becoming the first athlete to do so since 2004. Phelps enters with the best mark in the shot put by more than six feet.

West High junior Landon Green has the fifth-best mark this year after launching a career-best throw of 56-11 last Thursday. Solon senior Tyler Linderbaum was 11th a year ago and enters with the eighth best throw while Stein has the 18th best mark this season.

Long Jump

Day/Time: Thursday, 5 p.m.

Number of Qualifiers: 24

Drake Relays Record: Chris Walker (Davenport Central) 23-11 ¾, 1984

State Leader: Austin West (West High) 23-3

Area Qualifiers: 1. Austin West (West High) 23-3

Why to Watch: One of two events that West enters as the state-leader along with the 400 hurdles.

West has the top jump in the state at 23-3, just two inches better than the top leap by Jaelen Boysen of Clinton.

Defending champion Nick Foss of Harlan and Marion senior standout Blair Brooks should both be in the mix.

4×100 Relay

Day/Time: Friday, 6:29 p.m. (Prelims); Saturday 3:36 p.m. (Finals)

Number of Qualifiers: 80

Drake Relays Record: Cedar Falls 42.17, 2012

State Leader: Cedar Rapids Jefferson 42.31

Area Qualifiers: 11. West High 43.65; 12. City High 43.68; 56. Solon 44.86

Why to Watch: West High and City High both enter with qualifying times just outside the top ten and will push for spots in the finals.

Cedar Rapids Jefferson enters with the top qualifying time and should get pushed by Ankeny Centennial among others.

4×200 Relay

Day/Time: Friday, 1:55 p.m.

Number of Qualifiers: 24

Drake Relays Record: Cedar Falls 1:27.41, 2011

State Leader: Cedar Rapids Jefferson 1:28.81

Area Qualifiers: 18. West High 1:31.14

Why to Watch: Cedar Rapids Jefferson has its sights set on a sweep of the sprint relays and that starts with the 4×200 on Friday.

The J-Hawks have the top time in the state by nearly half a second over Sergeant Bluff-Luton.

West High enters with the 18th fastest time.

4×400 Relay

Day/Time: Friday, 8:54 p.m. (Prelims); Saturday, 4:32 p.m. (Finals)

Number of Qualifiers: 24

Drake Relays Record: West Des Moines Valley 3:17.77, 2006

State Leader: Waukee 3:21.5

Area Qualifiers: 2. West High 3:23.08; 10. City High 3:25.27

Why to Watch: The final event of the weekend figures to be worth the wait.

West High and City High each enter with top-10 qualifying times and both plan to be competing in the 4×400 finals that wrap up the 2018 Drake Relays.

The West High team of Gabe Caruthers, Seybian Sims, Austin West and Jeff Garbutt has clocked a 3:23.08, second only to state-leading Waukee.

City High’s foursome of Daniel Brown, JP Rethwisch, Lucas Firmstone and Zach Jones figures to be in the mix along with defending champion Bettendorf.

4×800 Relay

Day/Time: Saturday, 10:13 a.m.

Number of Qualifiers: 17

Drake Relays Record: Marshalltown 7:45.63, 1985

State Leader: Ames 8:03.36

Area Qualifiers: 6. City High 8:07.4; 16. West High 8:10.15

Why to Watch: It wouldn’t be a Drake Relays 4×800 if City High and West High weren’t in the mix. The City High squad of Daniel Brown, Caden Turnbough, Jimmy Momberg and JP Rethwisch has the sixth best time at 8:07.4 while West High has the 16th best qualifying time.

City High has three returners from last year’s team that was fifth at Drake.

Distance Medley Relay 

Day/Time: Friday, 10:02 a.m.

Number of Qualifiers: 24

Drake Relays Record: Cedar Rapids Prairie 3:25.94, 2016

State Leader: Urbandale 3:32.5

Area Qualifiers: 2. City High 3:34.68; 11. West High 3:36.52

Why to Watch: Perhaps the best chance for a City High win comes from the 1,600 medley relay foursome of Daniel Brown, Max DePrenger, Zach Jones and JP Rethwisch.

The foursome has run 3:34.68 this season which trails state leader Urbandale by just more than two seconds.

West High enters with the 11th best time.