What to Watch on Friday at the Drake Relays
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
The high school action at the 113 Drake Relays picks up steam on Friday with the completion of field events and continued action on the blue oval inside Drake Stadium in Des Moines.
There will be plenty of Your Prep Sports area athletes competing on day two of the high school portion of the event on Friday including a handful of area competitors that should be in the championship hunt.
Here is what to watch with Your Prep Sports area athletes on Friday at the Drake Relays.
Washburn Chases History
City High senior will attempt to make history on Friday night in the first ever running of the Elite High School Mile at the Drake Relays.
One of the top distance runners in City High history and the state, Washburn is part of an Elite Mile field that features 10 other runners from Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota, South Dakota and Kansas.
Washburn joins Iowa competitors Jackson Heidesch of West Des Moines Dowling and Carson Lane of Johnston in the event and enters with the top time in Iowa this season in the 1,600 at 4:10.91.
Tate’s Drake Debut in High Jump
Meena Tate isn’t just new to jumping at Drake Stadium, the West High senior is new to high jumping in general.
A Dartmouth basketball recruit, Tate joined the track team for the first time since junior high this season and has excelled in the high jump.
Tate enters the Drake Relays tied for the 11th best mark in the state this season clearing 5-5 and will seek to contend in a strong high jump field led by Waukee senior Josie Moreland who has cleared a state-best 5-8 this spring.
Solon With Another Relay Run
Defending Class 3A state champion has built a powerful program through depth which is on display again this week through the Spartan relay teams.
Solon has three relay qualifiers competing on Friday highlighted by its sprint medley relay team of Aly Stahle, Mia Stahle, Sophia Stahle and Gracie Federspiel that enters with the top qaualifying time at 1:47.33.
The Spartans also have top-11 times in both the 4×200 relay (10th) and the 4×400 relay (11th).
Finals of the 4×200 are Friday along with 4×400 preliams.
Exciting Area 800s
The boys and girls 800s are back-to-back races on Friday afternoon and each should have an area athlete challenging for top spot.
Solon junior Gracie Federspiel enters with the fifth fastest time in the girls 800 field at 2:15.95 and is less than a second off the top time in the state this season of 2:15.03 held by Cedar Rapids Kennedy junior Sidney Swartzendruber.
City High sophomore Ani Wedemeyer should also be a part of the 800 lead pack entering with the eighth best time this season at 2:16.8.
In the boys 800 four area athletes enter with top-nine qualifying times led by City High senior Ammon Smith who has the second fastest time this season at 1:54.74.
Smith highlights three Little Hawks that should contend on Friday as senior Truman Thompson has the seventh fastest time at 1:56.95 and senior Ayman Noreldaim is ninth at 1:57.43.
West High sophomore standout Moustafa Tiea enters with the sixth fastest time at 1:56.95 and will be in the mix of a stellar 800 field led by Sioux City North senior Gabe Nash who has clocked a 1:53.9 this season.
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