Photo by Jeff Yoder | Liberty state track photo gallery

Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

DES MOINES – The plan was slightly different for Ashlyn Keeney in her return to Drake Stadium.

The result for the Liberty High freshman remained the same.

Last month Keeney laid back with the pack for the better part of six laps before charging to a Drake Relays title in the 3,000 in the fastest time ever for an Iowa freshman.

On Thursday at the Class 4A state track and field meet Keeney followed a similar plan, pulling away slightly earlier to win her first career state title in 10:04.09.

“The plan was since it was hot try to conserve a little more and not go out as fast, then it was either if I felt like it go and pick it up a little and push the race but if I felt like staying there then stay there,” Keeney said. “It was hot and I just said I am going to stay right here and with about two and a half laps to go I picked it up.

Keeney ran behind Ames junior Camille Jackson for the first 2,000 meters on Thursday.

Then, as has become her patented style, Keeney took off.

The freshman finished more than 20 seconds in front of runner-up Brooklyn McKee of Johnston while becoming the first state champion in Liberty High history.

“It feels really good, that’s an honor,” Keeney said. “I am very thankful.”

Keeney blazed to a 9:39.64 in her Drake Relays win last month, the fourth fastest time in state history.

On the warmest opening day ever at a co-ed state track and field meet on Thursday with temperatures that exceeded 90 degrees Keeney was content to secure her title.

“Today was a day you don’t worry about times,” Keeney said. “You just focus on placing.”

The experience from the Drake Relays win last month helped Keeney deal with her nerves on Thursday.

It couldn’t help with the heat that plagued distance runners across all classes.

“Having run at Drake helped with nerves but the heat was making me really nervous,” Keeney said. “Your whole body is on fire and you are burning and you know you have all these laps left and there is no shade until you get done and you can just see the track around you and see the heat waves.”

While Keeney was earning her first career medal Liberty High sophomore Cami Mac earned a medal in the 3,000 for the second consecutive season.

Mac was fifth in the 3A 3,000 last year and finished eighth on Thursday in 10:49.36.

“I am so proud of Cami,” Keeney said. “She has been so great and she has really been working for good finishes so I am so happy that she had a great finish here.”

Class 4A

Team scores – 1. Waukee 24.33; 2. Southeast Polk 22; 2. Cedar Falls 22; 4. Ottumwa 21; 5. Johnston 12; 6. Liberty High 11; 7. West Des Moines Dowling 10; 7. Urbandale 10; 9. Council Bluffs Lewis Central 8; 9. Linn-Mar 8; 9. Pleasant Valley 8

Individual results (Event winner; area qualifiers)

400 – 1. Mackenzie Michael (Cedar Falls) 55.64; 15. Devon Dunson (Liberty High) 1:01.06

3,000 – 1. Ashlyn Keeney (Liberty High) 10:04.09; 8. Cami Mac (Liberty High) 10:49.36; 15. Rowan Boulter (City High) 11:17.25

4×800 – 1. Ottumwa 9:13.85; 7. West High (Erica Buettner, Katie Hoefer, Emma Kearney, Kiara Malloy-Salgado) 9:48.4; 9. City High (CeCe Kelly-Harvey, Lillian Reynolds, Janie Perril, Tatum Frazier) 9:51.01; 19. Liberty High (Isabelle Woody, McKenzie Logan, Anna Reese, Cami Mac) 10:09.44

High jump – 1. Layanna Green (Waukee) 5-6; 20. Alia Vanderhoef (City High) 4-10

Discus – 1. April Czarnecki (Urbandale) 133-3; 18. Miranda Jones (Liberty High) 102-7

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