City High Freshman Wedemeyer Impresses In Drake Relays Debut
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
DES MOINES –Ani Wedemeyer entered her first Drake Relays with high expectations.
Wedemeyer was left wanting a little bit more.
In between the City High freshman produced one of the best Drake Relays debut in recent program history.
Wedemeyer set a school-record in a third-place finish in the 800 and added a seventh-place finish in the 400 on Friday at the 112th Edition of the Drake Relays at Drake Stadium in Des Moines.
“I felt like I could have gone faster in the last 100 or 200,” Wedemeyer said of the 800. “Just a few quick steps would have done it. I am happy with the pr. It felt really fast but I can go faster.”
In her Drake Stadium debut Wedemeyer was third in the 800 in a school-record time of 2:12.16.
Carlisle senior Ainsley Erzen pulled away from the field early to win in 2:09.39 and Van Meter senior Clare Kelly edged Wedemeyer for second in 2:12.11.
It was that late surge from Kelly that left Wedemeyer wanting more despite her stellar showing.
“I’m really happy about it, going into it I was seeded second so getting third kind of sucks, but it just gets me ready for state,” Wedemeyer said. “I had a faster time than I expected so I am happy about that.”
The time of 2:12.16 broke the previous City High school record of 2:14.6 set by Keely Barnett in 1995.
Wedemeyer added a seventh-place finish in the 400 in 57.21.
“It’s nerve wracking but being here with all the fans in the huge stadium makes it feel like a big deal,” Wedemeyer said. “That was really fun.”
Solon senior Emma Bock joined Wedemeyer in posting top-10 finishes in both the 800 and 400.
Bock was seventh in the 800 breaking her own school record with a time of 2:14.33.
“It’s all right, it’s not what I came in to do. My race strategy wasn’t executed that great,” Bock said. “I think I got out fine but towards the start of the second lap either the girl in front of me had a really good strategy or I had a really bad strategy because I just couldn’t quite pass her and that made me work extra hard to get around.”
Bock added an eighth-place finish in the 400 in 57.31.
“It’s a really good preparation for state because I need my body to recover in that same time,” Bock said. “It’s a good learning experience.”
The Solon 4×200 relay team of Makinley Levin, Sophia Stahle, Mia Duckett and Aly Stahle was fifth in 1:45.21.
Liberty High senior Ashlyn Keeney followed up an eighth-place finish in the 3,000 on Thursday with an eighth-place effort in the 800 in 2:15.06.
Liberty High senior Darya Acas placed 10th in the discus with a mark of 119-10.
West High’s Ella Woods was 10th in the 110 hurdles in 15.85.
Drake Relays
At Drake Stadium
Individual champions; area participants
Long jump – 1. Isabelle Noring (Carlisle) 18-1 ½; 20. Makinley Levin (Solon) 16-0 ½
Discus – 1. Kennedy Axmear (English Valleys) 131-6; 10. Darya Acas (Liberty High) 119-10
100 hurdles – 1. Mackenzie Carney (Waukee Northwest) 14.43; 10. Ella Woods (West High) 15.85; 14. Silvana Kabolo (Clear Creek Amana) 15.99; 23. Sierra Pruessner (City High) 16.74; 25. Sophia Stahle (Solon) 16.81
100 – 1. Holly Duax (Sioux City West) 12.42; 16. Aly Stahle (Solon) 12.88; 20. Mia Duckett (Solon) 12.97
400 – 1. Gabby Cortez (Cedar Rapids Prairie) 56.15; 7. Ani Wedemeyer (City High) 57.21; 8. Emma Bock (Solon) 57.31
800 – 1. Ainsley Erzen (Carlisle) 2:09.39; 3. Ani Wedemeyer (City High) 2:12.16; 7. Emma Bock 2:14.33; 8. Ashlyn Keeney (Liberty High) 2:15.06
Sprint medley relay – 1. Western Dubuque 1:46.01; 11. Solon (Mia Stahle, Makinley Levin, Sophia Stahle, Gracie Federspiel) 1:49.81; 19. Liberty High (Amira Coleman, Brityn Gryp, Hannah Ramsey, Ashlyn Keeney) 1:52.05; 24. City High (Ruth Cloyd, Claire Brown, Mia DePrenger, Eva Reynolds) 1:54.91
4×200 – 1. Waukee 1:42.18; 5. Solon (Makinley Levin, Sophia Stahle, Mia Duckett, Aly Stahle) 1:45.21; 20. Liberty High (Amira Coleman, Brynlee Slockett, Jasmine Barney, Hannah Ramsey) 1:48.32
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