Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

DES MOINES – Initially Solon senior Kate Shafer couldn’t explain her string of late season success.

“I’ve just been getting a pr every meet and I don’t know how,” Shafer said with a smile.

Following reflection Shafer admitted she knew exactly how she ended her career with back-to-back career best performances – it came via hard work fueled by disappointment.

Shafer earned the second state medal of her career on Thursday finishing fourth in the Class 3A discus at the state track and field meet at Drake Stadium in Des Moines.

The career best finish for Shafer came after she missed qualifying for the state meet last season after failing to register a throw in three attempts at the state qualifying meet.

“After the state qualifier last year I started lifting a lot more,” Shafer said. “I’ve been working really hard this year and it’s paid off.”

Shafer was seventh at the 3A state meet as a sophomore in 2023 with a toss of 122-7.

A strong junior season last spring ended with disappointment at the state qualifier.

That disappointment drove Shafer during the offseason as she chased a strong end to her career.

Shafer got that strong finish and some late-season redemption.

At the state qualifier last week Shafer registered a career-best throw of 130-8.

Shafer improved on that mark on Thursday finishing fourth with a career-best mark of 137-9.

“This feels so good,” Shafer said. “I’m so happy to end on a good note.

Mount Vernon senior Libby Dix won the discus title with a mark of 148-10 while Dubuque Wahlert senior Olivia Hilby was runner-up with a throw of 145-3.

Two-time defending 3A state champion Charlee Morton of Hampton-Dumont-CAL finished third with a toss of 139-1.

The throw of 137-9 for Shafer was just off the Solon school record of 138-1.

“I really wanted to break the school record and I was really close, I was only a few inches off,” Shafer said. “It still feels really good to pr and get a state medal.”

Shafer tossed a then career-best throw of 133-9 on her first attempt on Thursday to reach the final.

She was fourth entering her final attempt when she launched her best throw of 137-9.

“I’m not throwing next year so this is my last time ever throwing and I had nothing to lose,” Shafer said. “I just went out there and did my best.”

Class 3A State Track Meet

Girls Results

Team scores (top 10/area teams) – 1. Mount Vernon 23; 2. Pella 14; 3. ADM 11; 4. Dubuque Wahlert 10; 4. Decorah 10; 4. North Polk 10; 4. Clear Lake 10; 4. Gilbert 10; 9. Harlan 8; 9. Williamsburg 8; 9. Davenport Assumption 8; 9. Marion 8; 17. Solon 5

Individual results (event winners; area competitors)

400 – 1. Reese Brownlee (Clear Lake) 54.84; 11. Jerzey Haluska (Solon) 58.93

3,000 – 1. Marissa Ferebee (Pella) 9:51.96

4×800 – 1. Gilbert 9:14.60; 23. Clear Creek Amana (Raegan Wyant, Kira Barker, Sara Kinzenbaw, Kadence Whitmer) 10:04.48

Discus – 1. Libby Dix (Mount Vernon) 148-10; 4. Kate Shafer (Solon) 137-9; 14. Nakia Tangang (Clear Creek Amana) 114-3; 17. Piper Johnson (Solon) 108-9

High jump – 1. Reese Wagner (North Polk) 5-8

Boys Results

Team scores (top 10/area teams) – 1. Pella 26; 2. Gilbert 16; 3. Fairfield 14; 4. Center Point-Urbana 13; 5. Western Dubuque 11; 6. Clear Creek Amana 10; 6. Benton Community 10; 8. Sioux City Heelan 8; 8. Mount Vernon 8; 10. Fort Madison 7.5; 27. Solon 1.2

Individual results (event winners; area competitors)

400 – 1.

3,200 – 1. Quentin Nauman (Western Dubuque) 8:57.97; 20. Kyle Vogel (Clear Creek Amana) 10;19.1; 24. Nic Schieltz (Clear Creek Amana) 10:46.06

4×800 – 1. Pella 7:53.08; 11. Clear Creek Amana (Brock Hilsman, Isaac Sorensen, Carson Meskimen, Jackson Van Horn) 8:08.86; 19. Solon (Will Brandt, Owen Young, Preston Raasch, Spencer Michels) 8:21.8

High jump – 1. Eli Patterson (Benton Community) 6-7; 6. Kaden Hoeper (Solon) 6-1

Discus – 1. Landon Prince (Clear Creek Amana) 181-10; 17. Brody Clubb (Clear Creek Amana) 143-0

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