Braun Wins 4A Discus Title; Haack Finishes Third For City High
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
DES MOINES – Walking into the ring for the final throw of her high school career Hannah Braun had a thought.
“I went into the last throw saying, ‘just go out with a bang’,” Braun explained.
Did the City High senior ever go out with a bang.
Braun saved her best for last, unleashing a career-best throw of 150-0 on her final attempt to win the Class 4A state discus title on Thursday at Drake Stadium in Des Moines.
“I wasn’t for sure but it felt so good in my footwork and my technique,” Braun said. “I wanted to go out with a bang and that’s what I did. I am really happy.”
Braun edged defending state champion Delilah Subsin of Ottumwa who finished second with a throw of 148-10.
City High senior Rachel Haack joined Braun on the medal standing placing third with a throw of 142-8.
“It’s kind of unreal,” Braun said of her title. “I’ve been competing with Rachel and Delilah from Ottumwa, who is so amazing, for so long and I am so grateful that I get to stand with these amazing throwers.”
The winning throw was the second career-best throw for Braun on Thursday.
Braun, who entered the state meet with the third best throw in Class 4A at 144-7, opened the competition with a throw of 145-2.
That opening throw for Braun kept her in second place behind Subsin until her final attempt.
“I knew 148 was the mark to beat and I just knew I had to go in there and throw as hard as I can,” Braun said. “That’s what I ended up doing.”
The title for Braun came in her fourth trip to the state meet and completed an impressive climb up the 4A discus standings.
Braun was 22nd as a freshman, 10th as a sophomore and 14th last season before taking the top spot on the final throw of her career.
“I can’t explain how happy I am for her,” Haack said of Braun. “She has been there for me so many times and now I am in this position to support her and it just feels incredible to see her do this.”
Haack capped her own brilliant career with a third consecutive state medal and her highest ever finish in the discus.
After placing fifth as a sophomore and fourth last season Haack was third on Thursday.
“I did better than I did last year and all the years before so I am very happy about that,” Haack said. “My goal today was to go on the podium and that’s exactly what I did.”
The two top three finishes for Haack and Braun was part of an impressive opening day for City High which scored 19 team points on Thursday.
It also was the latest in an impressive throwing career for two of the best in City High history.
“It feels so good,” Braun said. “We have work so hard together and it’s been so fun,” Braun said. “We met in seventh grade and we’ve been competing with each other and throwing with each other for so long and I am just so proud of both of us.”
City High senior Abigail Burns added a medal in the 3,000 finishing sixth in a career-best time of 9:54.37.
Burns took more than seven seconds off her previous best time this season of 10:02.98.
“That’s exactly what I wanted to do today,” Burns said. “I was hoping for top eight definitely and then I thought, ‘let’s go for sixth place’ and I was able to do that so that’s great.”
Class 4A State Track and Field Meet
At Drake Stadium in Des Moines
Girls Results
Team scores (Top 10; area teams) – 1. Waukee Northwest 40.5; 2. Cedar Falls 30.5; 3. Ames 19; 3. City High 19; 5. Johnston 12; 6. Ankeny 10; 6. Clinton 10; 8. Bettendorf 9; 9. North Scott 8; 9. Pleasant Valley 8; 9. Ottumwa 8
Individual results (Event winner; area competitors)
400 – 1. Kloe Nissen (Cedar Falls) 53.93; 10. Savannah Mathias (West High) 57.96; 18. Jena Frank (West High) 1:00.15; 22. Mackenzie Maher (Liberty High) 1:00.96
3,000 – 1. Charlee Gall (Cedar Falls) 9:37.85; 6. Abigail Burns (City High) 9:54.37;
4×800 – 1. Waukee Northwest 8:58.01; 15. West High (Kate Van Waning, Adrienne Hodge, Ellie DeWaard, Avery Nepple) 9:46.51; 18. City High (Calissa Fruin, Eliza Doster, Naomi Downing-Sherer, Lucy Sherburne) 9:53.16
Discus – 1. Hannah Braun (City High) 150-0; 3. Rachel Haack (City High) 142-8
High jump – 1. Elle Lonergan (Clinton) 5-6; 14. Sophia Austen (West High) 5-0; 19. Alice Edelen (City High) 5-0
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