What to Watch on Friday at the Drake Relays
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
The action heats up at the Drake Relays on Friday with the first full day of high school competition.
Plenty of Your Prep Sports area athletes will be competing amongst the best in the state this weekend at Drake Stadium in Des Moines in the 115th running of the Drake Relays.
Your Prep Sports takes a look at a few things to watch on Friday featuring area athletes.
Prince Seeks Throwing Sweep
Landon Prince made history on Thursday when he became the first Drake Relays champion in Clear Creek Amana history.
Prince will look to put the finishing touches on a historic meet on Friday.
Prince won the shot put title on Thursday with a mark of 61-10 ¾.
On Friday Prince will attempt to become the sixth prep athlete in Drake Relays history to sweep the throwing events when he competes in the discus.
Prince enters with the top throw in the discus with a toss of 182-2 which is more than four feet further than West High senior Collin Whitters (178-0).
The top six finishers in the discus last season were all seniors leaving Waukee senior David Souvongsavath who was seventh a year ago as the top returner.
Souvongsavath has the third best throw in the state this season at 175-0.
Tiea Chasing 800 Title
West High senior Moustafa Tiea returns to the Drake Relays with his sites set on a much different outcome than a year ago.
Last season Tiea finished 16th in the 800 in a time of 2:02.77.
On Friday Tiea returns to the blue oval as the favorite to win the 800 title.
Tiea has the fastest time in the state in the 800 this season at 1:50.4 which is more than a second faster than the next fastest time of 1:51.51 by Des Moines Christian junior Caleb Ten Pas.
Tiea is also the anchor on the West High distance medley relay team that is expected to contend for a Drake Relays title on Friday.
The foursome of Mason Woods, Julian Manson, KingSton Swayzer and Tiea ran a 3:30.29 which is the second fastest time in the state this season.
Tay’s Busy Day
Landon Prince starred for Clear Creek Amana on Thursday and will have a chance to enter the spotlight again on Friday.
Don’t let Prince overshadow the season that sophomore Tay Seals has put together.
Seals will compete in both the 110 hurdles and the 100 on Friday and enters with top 12 times in both events this spring.
Seals has the sixth fastest time in the 110 hurdles this season at 14.1 with everyone chasing Cedar Rapids Prairie senior Quinton Alexander who clocked an all-time state best 13.64 earlier this month.
The sophomore speedster has the 12th fastest 100 time at 10.82.
Kellan Harter of Grinnell owns the top 100 time at 10.69 while Ben Frazier of Waterloo West and Connor Kunze of Nevada have each run 10.7
Pedersen Steps Onto the Big Stage
West Branch junior Brandon Pedersen has put together his own breakthrough season to this point.
A relative newcomer to the sport, Pedersen has dazzled early this season and enters the 100 on Friday with the ninth fastest time at 10.78.
Drake Relays doesn’t run a 200 but Pedersen has the 14th fastest 200 time this season at 22.17 and is quickly emerging as one of the top small school sprinters in the state.
Pierce, Haack Look For Strong Shot Put Performances
West Branch senior Alyssa Pierce and City High junior Rachel Haack are Drake Relays regulars at this point in their careers.
Haack returned to the Drake Relays for the second straight season and was seventh in the discus on Thursday to kick off her first time at the Relays as a two-event qualifier.
On Friday Haack turns her attention to the discus where she enters with the eighth best mark at 43-3.
Pierce is back at Drake Stadium after placing ninth in the Drake Relays shot put last season.
Burlington sophomore Kylee Hill enters with the top mark this season at 46-9 ½ while defending champion Charlee Morton of Hampton-Dumont-CAL has the second best mark this season at 46-8 1/2.
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