Mac Makes More History as First Liberty High Drake Relays Participant
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
DES MOINES – There is a lot of history to be made in year one of a brand new school with all new athletic programs.
Camille Mac has had her hand, or more accurately her legs, involved in plenty of historic moments in the first year of Liberty High.
Mac added to her list of firsts on Thursday at Drake Stadium in Des Moines when she became the first Liberty High athlete to compete in the Drake Relays.
“It feels pretty cool to be one of the first ones from our school to be able to make it here,” Mac said. “Making some history for our school is cool.
”Last fall Mac made Liberty High cross country history as the first state qualifier and medalist with a 13th place finish in the Class 3A state meet.
Her most recent history-making achievement was even more special to the freshman distance runner.
Mac finished 18th in a time of 10:49.2 in a 3,000 field that was a who’s who of distance stars from across the state.
“Getting here was really special to me because it’s everybody in the state not just one class,” Mac said. “That is pretty cool to compare yourself to the entire state not just your class.”
Mac held her own against a field that featured defending Drake Relays champion and Iowa recruit Anna Hostetler and Colorado recruit and defending 4A champ Bailey Nock of West High.
Crestwood senior Ellie Friesen won the event in a time of 9:50.44 while Anna Hostetler was runner-up in 9:52.49 and Marie Hostetler was third in 10:14.9.
“I was really nervous going into and my legs didn’t feel too good,” Mac said. “I was a little scared, the competition is really good here.
”Mac wasn’t thrilled with her time in her first trip around the blue oval at Drake Stadium finishing nine seconds off her career-best time.
That didn’t stop Mac from achieving her top goal for her Drake Relays debut.
“I wanted to run well and prove that Liberty can be taken seriously and that I can compete with the best people in the state,” Mac said.
For a freshman that had never been in Drake Stadium as a fan Mac hopes to use the experience she gained on Thursday in three weeks at the state meet.
“My coaches told me that today is just kind of a training meet,” Mac said. “I’m sure it will help me a lot at state, it’s kind of like a mock state meet.”
Drake Relays
At Drake Stadium in Des Moines
Thursday’s Individual Results
(Top 5 Finishers; Area Athletes)
Boys 3,200 – 1. Gable Sieperda (Central Lyon) 9:11.17; 2. Camden Cox (Ankeny Centennial) 9:21.77; 3. Matthew Carmody (West Des Moines Dowling) 9:24.72; 4. Myles Bach (Center Point-Urbana 9:24.91; 5. Konnor Sommer (Pleasant Valley) 9:27.5; 22. Kolby Greiner (West High) 10:08.91.
Girls 3,000 – 1. Ellie Friesen (Crestwood) 9:50.44; 2. Anna Hostetler (Mid-Prairie) 9:52.49; 3. Marie Hostetler (Mid-Prairie) 10:14.9; 4. Emma Lucas (Bedford) 10:17.2; 5. Bailey Nock (West High) 10:21.87; 6. Deniz Ince (West High) 10:24.47; 18. Camille Mac (Liberty High) 10:49.2.
Boys Discus – 1. Dawson Ellingson (Hudson) 186-9; 2. Nick Phelps (Kingsley-Pierson/Woodbury Central) 184-2; 3. Trajan Walhof (Sioux Center) 171-5; 4. Logan Jones (Council Bluffs Lewis Central) 168-10; 5. Jonathan Gannon (West High) 168-0; 24. Coal Flansburg (Solon) No Distance.
Girls Shot put – 1. Jamie Kofron (Tipton) 45-5 ½; 2. Kat Moody (Waukee) 45-0 ¾; 3. Brylie Zeisneiss (South Hardin) 44-10; 4. Chandler Haight (West High) 43-10 ¾; 5. Lea Grady (Davenport Central) 42-6 ¾.
Boys Long jump – 1. Blair Brooks (Marion) 22-8 ¼; 2. Austin West (West High) 22-5 ½; 3. Terrell Jordan Jr. (Cedar Rapids Kennedy) 22-3; 4. Keegan Rich (Mount Pleasant) 22-1 ¼; 5. Parker Kiewiet (Dike-New Hartford) 22-1.
