Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

DES MOINES – For the first time in more than decade there is a trophy from the boys state track and field meet coming back to City High.

And for the second consecutive season the Little Hawks have the talent returning to be even more excited about the future.

City High finished runner-up in Class 4A at the State Track and Field Meet on Saturday at Drake Stadium in Des Moines its first top-three finish since winning its last of 11 state titles in 2004.

“It’s been a long time since we brough a trophy back to City High in boys track and field,” City High head coach Mike Moore said. “Before Coach Raff’s first title he was runner-up once so….We’ve got a lot to look forward to.”

City High entered Saturday with a 14.5 point lead over West Des Moines Dowling but the Maroons won four titles on Saturday and added a runner-up finish in a stellar Saturday while winning the 4A team title with 93 points.

The Little Hawks finished with 63.5 points, it’s hits totals since 2001 and finished 10.5 points clear of third-place Ankeny.

These kids are a great group, the seniors I am going to miss them,” Moore said. “They went through a pandemic and stuck with us and helped to build this up to what we are really proud of. I am super proud of these young men, I’m super proud of our coaching staff and we are going to be back next year to give it another hell of a run.”

City High had its own strong day on Saturday.

The Little Hawks got a runner-up finish from distance standout Ford Washburn in the 1,600, a third-place effort from Matt Schaeckenback in the 110 hurdles and Truman Thompson was seventh in the 800.

City High also got top-eight performances from its sprint medley and 4×400 relay teams but it wasn’t enough to hold off West Des Moines Dowling.

“It was a good week but we wanted to win,” Schaeckenbach said. “We wanted to win a championship, we came here with that goal in mind and we didn’t get it. It’s not the best but it’s certainly not the worst.”

Washburn continued his strong state meet that started with a state title in the 3,200 with a runner-up finish in the 1,600.

West Des Moines Dowling’s Jackson Heidesch won the 1,600 in a time of 4:07.3, which ranks fourth fastest all-time while Washburn was second in 4:14.24.

“There are a lot of fast guys out there,” Washburn said. “I have to be ready ever race and it can be challenging but I think it also helps a lot to run with those guys.”

City High finished sixth in the sprint medley and was eighth in the 4×400 to conclude the meet.

“I think we did a great job,” Washburn said. “I think we’ve all done great things and this was definitely a great weekend for us.”

Class 4A State Track and Field Meet

At Drake Stadium

Team scores (Top 10; area teams) – 1. West Des Moines Dowling 93; 2. City High 63.5; 3. Ankeny 53; 4. Linn-Mar 51; 5. Sioux City North 40; 6. West Des Moines Valley 37; 7. Cedar Rapids Washington 35; 8. Liberty High 32; 8. Cedar Falls 32; 10. Indianola 27; 11. West High 26

State champions; area participants

100 – 1. Mikey McClain (West Des Moines Dowling) 10.33; 4. Luke Meyers (Liberty High) 10.74

200 – 1. Mikey McClain (West Des Moines Dowling) 20.97; 5. Luke Meyers (Liberty High) 21.85

800 – 1. Gabe Nash (Sioux City North) 1:53.14; 6. Gavin Keeney (Liberty High) 1:56.56; 7. Truman Thompson (City High) 1:57; 8. Moustafa Tiea (West High) 1:57.06

1,600 – 1. Jackson Heidesch (West Des Moines Dowling) 4:07.3; 2. Ford Washburn (City High) 4:14.24; 5. Alex McKane (West High) 4:20.03; 20. Aidan Decker (Liberty High) 4:33.87; 22. Moustafa Tiea (West High) 4:39.81; 23. Parker Max (City High) 4:40.78

110 Hurdles – 1. Eric Lucas (Liberty High) 14.25; 3. Matt Schaeckenbach (City High) 14.98

Sprint medley relay – 1. Ankeny 1:31.46; 6. City High (Sam Rew, Mike Rew, Ronnie Major, Jovan Harris) 1:33.82

Shuttle hurdle relay – 1. Pleasant Valley 58.96

4×100 – 1. West Des Moines Dowling 41.76; 6. West High (Todd Rent, Izaiah Loveless, Nate Gudenkauf, Christian Janis) 42.79

4×400 – 1. Dubuque Senior 3:19.82; 8. City High (Jovan Harris, Truman Thompson, Juma Amisi, Isaiah Svoboda) 3:28.14

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