Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

DES MOINES – A couple of the best throwers in West High history earned state medals on Friday.

While standout senior Colin Whitters was capping his brilliant throwing career at the Class 4A state meet at Drake Stadium in Des Moines rising sophomore star James Barnett was just revving up for a run as one of the state’s best.

Barnett finished runner-up in the 4A boys shot put on Friday while last year’s state shot put champion Whitters finished fifth on a solid day for the Trojans in Des Moines.

“It’s been amazing throwing with Colin,” Barnett said. “He’s the best teammate I could ever ask for, he’s a brother and it’s been awesome.”

Barnett, who entered with the top throwing from qualifying meets last Thursday, finished behind only Council Bluffs Lewis Central junior Hunter Infanger who won with a mark of 59-7.

Barnett posted his second consecutive top-three finish at the state meet after finishing third last season.

His mark of 59-3 on Friday was a career best.

“I had a pretty consistent series in the second round of throws but it wasn’t enough,” Barnett said. “I am happy with the distance but not with the placement of course.”

Whitters was fifth with a toss of 55-0 ¾.

Senior Ely Smock added an eighth-place finish in the 400 hurdles for West High in a time of 54.01.

Gage Tucker of Bettendorf won the 400 hurdles in a time of 51.92.

After two days and 10 events West High is eighth in the Class 4A team standings with 17 points.

Class 4A State Meet

At Drake Stadium in Des Moines  

Girls Results

Team scores (Top 10; area teams) – 1. Waukee Northwest 63.5; 2. Cedar Falls 38.5; 3. City High 38; 4. Ames 35; 5. Ankeny 26; 6. Waukee 20; 7. Ottumwa 18; 8. North Scott 15; 8. Johnston 15; 10. Linn-Mar 14; 10. Ankeny Centennial 14

Individual events (Event winners; area competitors)

400 hurdles – 1. Jana Maharry (Waukee) 1:00.11; 2. Maeve Bowen-Burt (City High) 1:01.61; 7. Willow Schultz (City High) 1:03.04

4×200 – 1. Waukee Northwest 1:37.77; 14. West High (Amara MacLagan, Savannah Graham, Evelyn Cornish, Myriam Rahmouni) 1:44.28; 21. City High (Janrita Dahn, Cooper Hamilton, Laila Pho, Janiah Newell) 1:46.97

Distance medley – 1. Ankeny 3:55.44; 11. City High (Dede Aboussa-Folly, Maeve Bowen-Burt, Ellie Fraga, Abigail Burns) 4:12.61

Shot put – 1. Delilah Subsin (Ottumwa) 47-1; 2. Rachel Haack (City High) 44-9; 8. Hannah Braun (City High) 38-6 ¾; 15. Sydney Van Heukelom (Liberty High) 36-5 ¾

Long jump – 1. Abby Mecklenburg (Linn-Mar) 19-0; 11. Amara MacLagan (West High) 16-10 ¼; 15. Alexi Thigpen (Liberty High) 16-8 ¼

Boys Results

Team scores (Top 10; area teams) – 1. Bettendorf 47; 2. Cedar Falls 36; 3. Indianola 28; 4. Norwalk 20; 4. Cedar Rapids Prairie 20; 6. Cedar Rapids Kennedy 18; 6. Johnston 18; 8. West High 17; 8. West Des Moines Valley 17; 10. Waukee Northwest 16; 22. Liberty High 6; 32. City High 1

Individual events (Event winners; area competitors)

400 hurdles – 1. Gage Tucker (Bettendorf) 51.92; 8. Ely Smock (West High) 54.01; 9. Waleed Ibrahim (West High) 54.08

4×200 – 1. West Des Moines Dowling 1:26.07; 20. City High (Marshall Sheldon, Zyaire Washpun, Wyatt Byrd, Damari Lacy) 1:30.58

Distance medley – 1. Bettendorf 3:24.85; 9. Liberty High (Rylen Schweitzer, Cale Baldwin, Jackson Burnes, Keegan Decker) 3:28.78

Shot put – 1. Hunter Infanger (Council Bluffs Lewis Central) 59-7; 2. James Barnett (West High) 59-3; 5. Colin Whitters (West High) 55-0 ¾; 20. Raphael Etuma (City High) 49-8 ½

Long jump – 1. Kaiden Kunze (Norwalk) 23-8 ¼; 14. Damari Lacy (City High) 21-1 ½

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