Click here for more photos of Solon at the state track meet. 

Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

DES MOINES – As a freshman Luke Ira watched as teammate Connor Ham won his third consecutive state title in the 110 hurdles.

Thanks to Ira the tradition of hurdle excellence at Solon that Ham built is still going strong.

Ira capped his career with a runner-up finish in the 110 hurdles at the Class 3A state track and field meet at Drake Stadium in Des Moines on Saturday.

“That tradition at Solon definitely means a lot, Connor has been a mentor for me since I was a freshman,” Ira said. “I tried to replicate what he did and I probably wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for what he taught me.”

The runner-up finish gave Ira a medal in the 110 hurdles for the second consecutive season and marked the fifth time in six seasons Solon has had a medalist in the event.

Solon has had a 110 hurdle qualifier each of the last six seasons and has four top-two finishes during that span.

Ira earned his second straight top-five finish on Saturday in a career-best time of 14.82.

He finished more than half a second off the pace of winner Gratt Reed of Atlantic who won the title in 14.31.

“I’m happy with it,” Ira said. “I had a lifetime PR in my last race he just ran a really good race so hats off to him.”

Ira posted the best two times of his career in his two 110 hurdle races at state.

He clocked a 14.89 in the prelims on Friday and followed it up his 14.82 in the finals.

“I ran a 14.9 early in the first meet of the year and I’ve been running around 15 all year so it’s good to get back down into the 14s and have a personal best on my last race,” Ira said.

Ira entered the state meet with the third fastest time in 3A behind Reed and Mount Pleasant senior Jake Lowe who was injured in the prelims and finished eighth.

Reed had the top time out of Friday’s prelims by .12 over Ira but distanced himself from the field early in the Saturday’s final

“Based on the prelim times I felt like I had a shot this year,” Ira said. “He just ran a really fast time.”

Ira held off Mount Pleasant senior Cole Burns who was third in 14.87 at the finish line.

“Towards the middle I could feel (Reed) getting out in front of me,” Ira said. “My goal was just to make sure I kept out in front of everyone else.”

Clear Creek Amana senior Seb Johanson earned the first medal of his prep career in his final race with a sixth-place finish in 15.19.

The runner-up finish from Ira helped Solon to an 11th place team finish with 27 points.

Marion scored 31 points in the final three events to edged Atlantic for its second consecutive Class 3A team title giving the WAMAC conference four of the last five 3A champs.

Class 3A State Track and Field Meet

At Drake Stadium in Des Moines

Team scores – 1. Marion 69; 2. Atlantic 63; 3. Sergeant Bluff-Luton 48; 4. Dubuque Wahlert 45.5; 5. Gilbert 40; 6. Dallas Center-Grimes 38.3; 7. Mount Pleasant 37; 8. Glenwood 32; 9. Algona 30; 10. Boone 28; 11. Solon 27; 27. Clear Creek Amana 7.

Individual results

(Champion; Area Participants)

100 – 1. Rancy Freeman (Dallas Center-Grimes) 10.88

200 – 1. Jorma Schwedler (Sergeant Bluff-Luton) 21.72

800 – 1. Chase Mullenix (Atlantic) 1:55.38

1,600 – 1. Jeremy Fopma (Marion) 4:17.66; 14. Nick O’Connor (Clear Creek Amana) 4:33.83  

120 Hurdles – 1. Gratt Reed (Atlantic) 14.31; 2. Luke Ira (Solon) 14.82; 6. Seb Johanson (Clear Creek Amana) 15.19

Sprint Medley Relay – 1. Glenwood 1:33.11; 20. Solon (Adam Bock, Spencer Wegmann, Luke Ira, Ben Krutzfeldt) 1:37.08; 22. Liberty High (Jack Ankenbauer, Ben Houselog, Jaquel Davis, Drake Woody) 1:38.13

Shuttle Hurdle Relay – 1. Carlisle 56.83

4×100 – 1. Marion 42.96

4×400 – 1. Atlantic 3:20.96

Class 2A State Track and Field Meet

At Drake Stadium in Des Moines

Team scores – 1. Pekin 72; 2. Mid-Prairie 44; 3. Dyersville Beckman 38; 4. Carroll Kuemper 36; 5. PCM 35; 6. Van Meter 29; 7. Sheldon 24; 8. Mediapolis 22; 8. South Hamilton 22; 10. Wapello 20; 41. Regina 4.

Individual results

(Champion; Area Participants)

100 – 1. Tanner Iske (West Liberty) 10.58

200 – 1. Noah Anderson (PCM) 21.79

800 – 1. Isaiah Wittrock (Pekin) 1:55.94; 22. Ryan Bonthius (Regina) 2:03.36

1,600 – 1. Logan Peters (South Hamilton) 4:23.15

110 Hurdles – 1. Grant Fjelstad (Lake Mills) 14.71

Sprint Medley Relay – 1. Dyersville Beckman 1:33.69

Shuttle Hurdle Relay – 1. Albia 57.97

4×100 – 1. Dyersville Beckman 43.0

4×400 – 1. Pekin 3:21.76