What to Watch on Saturday at the Drake Relays
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
The 113th Drake Relays will come to a close on Saturday but there is still plenty of action remaining on the blue oval inside Drake Stadium in Des Moines.
High school action continues on Saturday with several Your Prep Sports area athletes expected to compete for a Drake Relays title.
Before the final day of action gets rolling on Saturday morning we take a look at a few things to watch on the final day of the Drake Relays.
Sophia Stahle’s Day to Shine
Solon has had a solid first two days at the Drake Relays but will look for a strong finish to the week on the strength of a big day from its senior hurdle leader Stahle.
Stahle enters with the third fastest time in the 400 hurdles at 1:04.06 and is set to anchor the Solon shuttle hurdle relay team that brings the fourth fastest time into Saturday morning’s prelims.
The Solon shuttle hurdle team of Mia Stahle, Aly Stahle, Calla Foster and Sophia Stahle has run 106.61 this season which trails only West Des Moines Dowling, Waukee Northwest and Ames.
A 400 Hurdles Rematch
The boys 400 hurdles should be among the most entertaining high school races of the entire weekend.
The Drake Relays 400 hurdles is rematch of a Forwald Relays showdown last Thursday between Linn-Mar senior Nicholas Gorsich and West High junior Aidan Jacobsen who clocked the top two times in the state a week ago at City High.
Gorisch enters with the top tie at 52.02 while Jacobsen is right behind at 53.36. City High senior Matt Schaeckenbach is 11th in 54.89.
West High Relays Seeking a Strong Finish
It has already been a stellar Drake Relays for the West High relay teams after winning the distance medley title and finishing runner-up in the 4×200 on Friday.
The Trojans can put the finishing touches on a big-time Drake Relays effort with a couple of more strong performances on Saturday.
West High enters ranked fourth in the 4×800 as the team of Mason Van Waning, Sam Showers, Michael Lee and Moustafa Tiea has run 8:03.1.
The Trojan sprint group will attempt to close a stellar weekend with a strong 4×100 effort as the West High group of Todd Rent, Izaiah Loveless, Christian Janis and Daniel Robinson has the third fastest time this spring at 42.47.
More 800 Meter Excellence for City High
City High put on a show during the open 800 on Friday with three Little Hawks finishing in the top 14 highlighted by individual champion Ammon Smith.
On Saturday City High will look to join forces to add a title in the 4×800.
The City High foursome of Truman Thompson, Ford Washburn, Noah Carey and Ammon Smith enter with the fastest time in the state this spring at 7:47.84.
Smith won the 800 on Friday in 1:53.42 while Thompson finished fourth.
Senior Ayman Noreldaim added a 14th place finish in the 800 in 1:57.01.
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