Liberty High’s Mac Back on the Track and Off to Strong Start to Junior Season
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
NORTH LIBERTY – A frustrating fall filled with injuries sidelined Cori Mac for most of cross country season.
The injury-riddled fall may have cost Mac her junior cross country season but the time away also helped the Liberty High junior gain an appreciation for running.
“I just think coming off the injuries kept me so motivated and determined to get in those miles and run every day even through the snow and rain,” Mac said. “I am so excited, I think taking so much time off made me more excited to run.”
The injury-filled cross country season for Mac began with a sprained ankle in early August and ended with a stress fracture.
“It was just a spiral,” Mac said of the injuries. “I just had a lot going on.”
Once Mac was cleared to run again this winter she said she listened to her body and started slow.
Weeks of just 10 miles steadily built to four or five workouts a week.
Healthy and happy Mac has gotten off to a stellar start to track season.
A week after posting a career best time of 10:43.39 in the 3,000 at the North Scott Invite Mac won the 1,500 and finished second in the 800 on Monday at the Liberty High Co-Ed Invitational on a cool and windy evening in North Liberty.
“I’m just excited to be out running again and I really am enjoying it,” Mac said. “We’ve been working on getting back the competitive mentality and so I am here for it and I’m excited.”
Mac finished runner-up to City High defending state champion Ani Wedemeyer in the 800 in a time of 2:25.16.
Wedemeyer won in 2:23.11.
“I was pretty good in the 800,” Mac said. “I felt really strong so I was happy with that.”
Mac ended her night with a title in the 1,500 in a time of 5:02.27.
Mac pulled away from runner-up Nina Peterson of City High in the final 600 meters to finish eight seconds in front.
“This season I have shifted my focus to longer distance, so 1,500 and 3,000 and I am really happy with how my 3,000 has been going and the 1,500 is a work in progress,” Mac said. “Today I am happy with it, I shaved two seconds off from two weeks ago but I was hoping to break 5 minutes but had one slow lap but I am happy with it.”
The strong night from Mac helped Liberty High claim the team title at their home event with 206 team points.
City High was runner-up at the eight-team meet with 139 points followed by Tipton with 105.
“I love running at home, we don’t have to take a bus, my parents came come watch me and it’s co-ed so there are more teammates cheering you on,” Mac said. “I like a good home meet.”
Liberty High had five different athletes win individual events on Monday and added four relay titles on its way to the team title.
Senior Jasmine Barney won the long jump with a meet-record leap of 17-4 while Alexi Thigpen won the 100 in 12.94 and was runner-up in the long jump.
“I felt really good today,” Barney said. “I had a 17-1 and a 17-1 again and I was behind on the board by several inches and I came up with that big jump on the finals.”
Hannah Ramsey won the 400 in 1:04.36 and Stephanie Nuro-Gyina won the 100 hurdles 17.48.
Liberty High won titles in the 4×200 in 1:49.52, the sprint medley in 2:00.09, the distance medley in 4:37.03 and the shuttle hurdle relay in 1:15.9.
“It’s fun because all your friends and family can come and watch you and this is my senior year so I want them to all be able to come and watch me,” Barney said. “It was fun tonight.”
Liberty High Co-Ed Invitational
At Liberty High School
Girls Results
Team scores – 1. Liberty High 206; 2. City High 139; 3. Tipton 105; 4. Maquoketa 84; 5. Pleasant Valley 49; 6. Davenport Assumption 42; 7. Waterloo Columbus 33; 8. Columbus 5
100 – 1. Alexi Thigpen (ICL) 12.94; 4. Amira Coleman (ICL) 13.32; 6. Sierra Pruessner (ICH) 13.47; 8. Emily Arling (ICH) 13.76
200 – 1. Taylor Wing (MAQ) 26.77; 2. Sierra Pruessner (ICH) 27.25; 3. Amira Coleman (ICL) 27.9; 4. Lucy Maassen (ICL) 27.93
400 – 1. Hannah Ramsey (ICL) 1:05.36; 3. Averie Bilskemper (ICL) 1:06.33
800 – 1. Ani Wedemeyer (ICH) 2:23.11; 2. Cori Mac (ICL) 2:25.16; 4. Malia Taylor (ICL) 2:28.27
100 hurdles – 1. Stephanie Nuro-Gyina (ICL)17.48; 3. Lucy Maassen (ICL) 18.17; 4. Kayden Jensen (ICH) 18.54; 5. Kjirsten Kenlin (ICH) 18.65
400 hurdles – 1. Justice Armbruster (MAQ) 1:15.77; 2. Natalie Ramsey (ICL) 1:16.54; 3. Mary Hamilton (ICH) 1:20; 4. Angelica Hamilton (ICH) 1:22.03
1,500 – 1. Cori Mac 5:02.27; 2. Nina Peterson (ICH) 5:10.65; 5. Nicole Peterson (ICH) 5:25.11
3,000 – 1. Laura Owen (TIP) 11:43.6; 3. Claire Locher (ICH) 12:13.59; 4. Nina Kuhlman (ICH) 12:15.53; 6. Clara Welch (ICL) 12:48.78; 7. Bridget Canton (ICL) 13:13.23
4×100 – 1. City High 50.95; 2. Liberty High 51.22
4×200 – 1. Liberty High 1:49.52; 2. City High 1:50.03
4×400 – 1. City High 4:13.24; 2. Liberty High 4:26.69
4×800 – 1. Davenport Assumption 10:32.54; 2. Liberty High 10:45.43
Sprint medley – 1. Liberty High 2:00.09; 5. City High 2:08.4
Distance medley – 1. Liberty High 4:37.03
Shuttle hurdle – 1. Liberty High 1:15.9; 2. City High 1:16.57
High jump – 1. Jazmine Woode (TIP) 4-10; 2. Tommy June Simmons (ICH) 4-10; 3. Natalie Ramsey (ICL) 4-8; 4. Cassidy Hartman (ICL) 4-8; 5. Aminatha Rukakiza (ICH) 4-6
Long jump – 1. Jasmine Barney (ICL) 17-4; 2. Alexi Thigpen (ICL) 17-3 ¼; 5. Emily Arling (ICH) 16-0 ½; 6. Mackenzie Dvorsky (ICH) 14-7 ¼
Shot put – 1. Rachel Vonderhaar (PV) 36-8; 2. Jolie Nordell (ICL) 36-7; 4. Rachel Haack (ICH) 33-0; 6. Lauren Vogts (ICL) 29-4; 7. Amara Tilley (ICH) 27-8
Discus – 1. Reese Goodlet (PV) 130-0; 2. Jolie Nordell (ICL) 105-6; 3. Amara Tilley (ICH) 94-10; 8. Rachel Haack (ICH) 83-0
Boys Results
Team scores – 1. Liberty High 237; 2. Waterloo Columbus 104; 3. Columbus 74
100 – 1. Jeff Hoback (COL) 11.08; 3. Jalen Wieck (ICL) 11.51; 6. Francis Mawanda (ICL) 12.19
200 – 1. Carter Meyers (ICL) 23.45
400 – 1. Lucas Meyer (ICL) 56.44; 2. Dallas Miller (ICL) 57.61
800 – 1. Jacob Madsen (ICL) 2:10.86; 5. Maddux Johnson (ICL) 2:25.19
110 hurdles – 1. Quinton Logan (ICL) 17.68
400 hurdles – 1. Maxwell Thompson (ICL) 59.45; 2. Reece Rettig (ICL) 1:06.22
1,600 – 1. Aidan Decker (ICL) 4:47.11; 2. Noah Gregoire (ICL) 4:53.86
3,200 – 1. Noah Gregoire (ICL) 10:12.24; 2. Nathan Kinzer (ICL) 10:46.39
4×100 – 1. Liberty High 44.7
4×200 – 1. Waterloo Columbus 1:36.99; 2. Liberty High 1:37.68
4×400 – 1. Liberty High 4:05.53
4×800 – 1. Waterloo Columbus 9:21.33; 2. Liberty High 9:40.43
Sprint medley – 1. Liberty High 1:41.98
Distance medley – 1. Liberty High 4:37.03
Shuttle hurdle – 1. Liberty High 1:07.43
High jump – 1. Da’Shon Fisher (ICL) 6-0; 2. Cael Schramm (ICL) 5-8
Long jump – 1. Kaden Amigon (COL) 21-9 ¼; 2. Da’Shon Fisher (ICL) 20-7 ½; 5. Ethan Dueker (ICL) 19-4 ½
Shot put – 1. Cael Schramm (ICL) 43-10; 4. Brady Cannon (ICL) 38-7 ½
Discus – 1. Russell Coil (COL) 132-5; 3. Cael Schramm (ICL) 129-0; 4. Brady Cannon (ICL) 122-8
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