Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

DES MOINES – A year ago City High closed a solid weekend at the State Track and Field Meet by setting a school in a runner-up finish in the 4×400 relay.

It turns out that was just the beginning for the Little Hawks.

City High ran the 11^th fastest time in state history while winning the Class 4A 4×400 title on Saturday at Drake Stadium in Des Moines to secure the program’s best team finish in more than a decade.

“I had no idea we would do that,” City High Senior Mia DePrenger said. “I hoped we could do something like that, I know we all wanted this but I had no idea.:

The win in the 4×400 capped a strong Saturday that also featured an individual title from freshman Ani Wedemeyer in the 800 as City High finished in a three-way tie for third place in the 4A team standings.

City High scored 25 of its 46 points on Saturday, adding a fourth-place finish in the shuttle hurdle relay to finish tied with West Des Moines Valley and Sioux City West for third.

The third-place finish and 46 points are the best for City High since the Little Hawks won the 4A title in 2011 with 69 points.

“I think all in all everything fell into place for us,” City High coach Jeremey Mims said. “The girls came out to compete.”

Wedemeyer capped a stellar weekend that included four top-three finishes with a pair of gold medals on Saturday.

The freshman standout passed Liberty High senior Ashlyn Keeney in the final 200 meters on her way to the 800 meter title in a career-best time of 2:11.99.

“I decided to go for it about 200 and I was so nervous going into it but it feels great,” Wedemeyer said. “I am so happy.”

Wedemeyer became the fifth 800 meter champ at City High and the first since Nelle Trefz in 2004.

The win in the 800 came after Wedemeyer finished third in the 400 on Thursday and anchored the City High distance medley relay team to a runner-up finish on Friday.

“I wasn’t even supposed to run any 800s this season,” Wedemeyer said. “Last year my 800 pr wasn’t as impressive as my 400 so my coach and I we wanted to focus on 400s and down. They put me on the 4×8 to qualify for Drake and I had a 2:19 so they kept having me run 800s and I’m so glad they did.”

The City High shuttle hurdle relay team of Sierra Pruessner, DePrenger, Martha Hamilton and Te’Nia Ansley finished fourth in 1:05.62.

Then the 4×400 team put the finishing touches on a stellar weekend.

Eva Reynolds, DePrenger and sisters Iris and Ani Wedemeyer broke the school record of 3:56.76 set last season in the 4×400 with a winning time of 3:52.72.

“Each of them was doing their part, I was just amazed at how strong all of the girls looked,” Reynolds said. “Watching Ani finish it made my life right now. I am so thrilled and so proud of all these girls.”

Iris Wedemeyer got City High out to a strong start and the lone senior on the team DePrenger gave the Little Hawks the lead for good on the second leg.

“This is my last race so I wanted to give everything I had,” DePrenger said. “I knew I was closing in on them so I gave everything I had left because it was my last time on the track.”

Reynolds and Ani Wedemeyer closed out the first 4×400 championship for City High since 2003.

Ankeny was second in 3:55.94 and Waukee was third in 3:56.45.

“This level of competition makes all of the feeling so much bigger,” Iris Wedemeyer said. “The nerves are ridiculous but while you are racing you feel so strong. I felt invincible coming around. Running on this team is the best experience.”

Class 4A State Track and Field Meet

At Drake Stadium

Team scores (Top 10; area teams) – 1. Waukee Northwest 70; 2. Norwalk 50; 3. City High 46; 3. West Des Moines Valley 46; 3. Sioux City West 46; 6. Ames 45; 7. Ankeny 44.5; 8. West Des Moines Dowling 44; 8. Cedar Rapids Prairie 44; 10. Des Moines Roosevelt 33; 21. Liberty High 10.5; 22. West High 10

State champions; area participants

100 – 1. Holly Duax (Sioux City West) 11.67

200 – 1. Holly Duax (Sioux City West) 23.95

800 – 1. Ani Wedemeyer (City High) 2:11.99; 7. Ashlyn Keeney (Liberty High) 2:18.41

1,500 – 1. Addison Dorenkamp (West Des Moines Valley) 4:36.6; 16. Rowan Boulter (City High) 4:48.02; 19. Ashlyn Keeney (Liberty High) 4:51.23

100 Hurdles – 1. Mackenzie Carney (Waukee Northwest) 14.1

Sprint medley relay – 1. Cedar Rapids Prairie 1:46.36; 21. City High (Safia Almabrazi, Ruth Cloyd, Bella Skay, Eva Reynolds) 1:55.71

Shuttle hurdle relay – 1. West Des Moines Dowling 1:00.44; 3. West High (Hebah War, Erinah Carter, Sophia Olivio, Ella Woods) 1:04.74; 4. City High (Sierra Pruessner, Mia DePrenger, Martha Hamilton, Te’Nia Ansley) 1:05.62

4×100 – 1. Sioux City West 48.31

4×400 – 1. City High (Iris Wedemeyer, Mia DePrenger, Eva Reynolds, Ani Wedemeyer) 3:52.72

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