Breaking Down the Girls Conference Track and Field Meets
Your Prep Sports
The postseason for high school track and field is here.
Area teams begin the two-week postseason stretch with conference and divisional meets this week followed by state qualifying meets next Thursday.
The finish line for the high school track and field season is the state meet which is scheduled for May 16-18 at Drake Stadium in Des Moines.
Here is a quick look at the conference and divisional meets scheduled for this week featuring Your Prep Sports area teams.
MVC Valley Divisional
When: Friday, Noon
Where: Trojan Field at West High
Teams: City High; West High; Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Cedar Rapids Washington; Dubuque Hempstead; Linn-Mar; Waterloo West; Western Dubuque
Team title chase: Dubuque Hempstead and Linn-Mar will battle for the title with City High, West High and Western Dubuque fighting for the next two spots in what should be a balanced Valley Division race.
Athlete to watch: City High sophomore Rachel Haack is coming off a strong performance at the Drake Relays last week and will look to start a strong finish to the season with a dominating effort at the divisional meet.
Haack was fifth at the Drake Relays in the discus last week and enters as the Valley Divisional as the top seed in both the discus (138-2) and shot put (39-4).
The 138-2 in the discus for Haack ranks eighth in the state this season.
Event to watch: A pair of familiar foes will go head-to-head again in the 100 hurdles as West High junior Sophia Olivo and Sierra Pruessner enter with the top two times in the event.
Olivo has enjoyed a breakthrough season and enters as the top seed in the 100 hurdles with a time of 15.4 that ranks 10th in the state this season.
Pruessner has the second fastest time in the divisional field at 15.62 which is 22nd in the state this spring.
West High senior Eriniah Carter (16.16) is seeded fourth.
Breakdown: Keeping pace with Dubuque Hempstead and Linn-Mar will be a challenge but West High and City High both have the pieces to compete well in a strong divisional.
West High has a trio of top seeds in Olivo in the 100 hurdles, senior Erin Varga in the 400 hurdles (1:06.36) and its shuttle hurdle relay team (1:04.87).
The Trojans will look ride its hurdle crew as sophomore Jaylin Herring is seeded second in the 400 hurdles (1:07.11).
City High sophomore Hannah Braun is seeded third in the discus (122-9) while Nicole Petersen (10:48.96) is fourth in the 3,000.
MVC Mississippi Divisional
When: Friday, 4:30 p.m.
Where: Cedar Falls High School
Teams: Liberty High; Cedar Falls; Cedar Rapids Jefferson; Dubuque Senior; Cedar Rapids Prairie; Dubuque Wahlert; Cedar Rapids Xavier
Team title chase: Cedar Rapids Prairie and Cedar Falls are expected to battle for the title but don’t count out defending champion Liberty High or Dubuque Wahlert in the team race.
Athlete to watch: Liberty High senior Cori Mac continues to build on what has already been a strong prep resume.
Mac ran a career-best time of 10:22.82 in the 3,000 at the Drake Relays last week which ranks 17th best in the state this season and is the top time in the Mississippi Divisional field.
Mac also owns the second fastest time in divisional field in the 1,5000 at 4:50.95 which is a little more than a second behind leader Leah Klapatauskas of Dubuque Senior.
Event to watch: Liberty High sophomore Alexi Thigpen enters with the top qualifying mark in the long jump at 17-8 ½ and should be a threat to win the event in each of the final three meets of the season.
Thigpen ranks 13th in the state and seventh in 4A this season in the long jump and is coming off a sixth-place finish at the Drake Relays last week.
Look for Thigpen to start the postseason with a strong long jump effort on Friday.
Breakdown: Liberty High broke through with a divisional title last season and the Lightning have the depth and balance to contend again.
The Lightning have top-two seeds in five individual events as senior Jolie Nordell joins Thigpen and Mac as top seeds entering with the top mark in the shot put at 36-5 ¾.
Look for Liberty High to start strong in the field events as Nordell is also seeded third in the discus and sophomore Natalie Ramsey is third in the high jump.
The Lightning are seeded second in both the distance medley and shuttle hurdle relays.
WAMAC Conference Meet
When: Thursday, 4 p.m.
Where: Marion High School
Teams: Clear Creek Amana; Solon; Benton Community; Center Point-Urbana; Grinnell; Independence; Marion; Mount Vernon; South Tama; Vinton-Shellsburg; West Delaware; Williamsburg
Team title chase: Solon is the three-time defending champ and enters as a favorite to claim a fourth consecutive WAMAC crown with Mount Vernon a serious contender. Marion and Clear Creek Amana should be among the teams in the pack chasing the Spartans and Mustangs.
Athlete to watch: Solon senior Gracie Federspiel is one of the best in Class 3A and will look to put the finishing touches on a career filled with team and individual titles with another stellar postseason.
Federspiel is the top seed in both the 400 (57.74) and 800 (2:16.89) and will be a big part of the relay success that has been a trademark of the Solon program over the past several seasons.
Event to watch: As close as the projections are in the team title its possible the meet comes down to the final event of the night, the 4×400 relay where the top three seeds are all in the top seven in Class 3A this season.
Solon enters with the top time in the 4×400 (4:00.82) while Williamsburg is three seconds behind and Mount Vernon is third.
The 4×400 is always exciting and could hold team title implications in a meet that is expected to come down to the wire.
Breakdown: Solon finished 42 points clear of Mount Vernon while winning its third straight WAMAC title last season but the team race should be much tighter at the top this year.
The Spartans are top seeded in seven events while Mount Vernon enters as the top seed in eight events.
Relay depth could again be key for Solon which is seeded first or second in six of seven relays.
Mia Duckett (12.42) is top seeded in the 100 and Aly Stahle (15.77) owns the top time in the 100 hurdles for the Spartans.
Keep an eye on Clear Creek Amana sophomore Elizabeth Timmer who enters third in the long jump and fourth in the 200.
Clear Creek Amana senior Bliss Beck is fifth in the high jump and the Clippers have top-five times in the 4×200, 4×800 and shuttle hurdle relays.
River Valley Conference Meet
When: Friday, 11 a.m.
Where: Monticello High School
Teams: Regina; West Branch; Anamosa; Dyersville Beckman; Bellevue; Camanche; Cascade; Durant; Maquoketa; Mid-Prairie; Monticello; Northeast; Tipton; West Liberty; Wilton
Team title chase: Perennial Class 2A power and defending champion Mid-Prairie is once again the favorite but could be pushed much harder by top contender Tipton after the Tigers finished 47 points behind Mid-Prairie last season.
Athlete to watch: Regina sophomore Reese Naeve has been a key part of a season of growth for Regina and enters the RVC meet as a top-two seed in two events.
Naeve enters with the top time in the 100 hurdles (16.03) and is seeded second in the high jump (5-2) and is a part of the Regina 4×100 relay team that enters with the third fastest time (51.63).
Event to watch: The RVC shot put competition could offer a preview of the state finals in a few weeks as three of the top 11 throws in 2A this season have come from RVC competitors.
West Branch junior Alyssa Pierce has had a stellar season and is coming off a ninth-place finish at the Drake Relays last week.
Pierce enters as the second seed (40-0) behind top-seeded Camanche junior Paige Irvin who posted a throw of 40-11 on Monday which ranks 11th in the state and third in 2A this spring.
Elian Dzangue of Tipton is the defending RVC champ and enters with the third best throw at 38-0 ¼.
Breakdown: Over the past three seasons West Branch has climbed from 10th to sixth in the RVC standings and will push for another bump this spring.
The Bears have top-five qualifying times in the 4×400 (4:25.26) and distance medley relay (4:29.25) and have top-five times in three individual events.
Freshman Grace Hamann is fourth in the 800 (2:25.28) and fifth in the 1,500 (5:05.65) along with Pierce in the shot put.
Regina has finished 12th each of the past two seasons but should improve on that this season behind Naeve and senior Alli Clark who is fifth in the 100 hurdles (16.87).
The Regals are seeded fourth in the 4×800 (10:31).
Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.
