Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

DES MOINES – Experience counts at the state track and field meet.

Mason Middleton gained the experience last season and on Thursday the West High junior put it to very good use.

A year after finishing 14^th in the Class 4A high jump in his state meet debut in the event, Middleton secured his first state meet medal with a fifth-place finish at Drake Stadium in Des Moines.

Last season Middleton cleared 6-foot-1 in his first high jump experience at state.

On Thursday Middleton added a couple inches to that performance clearing 6-3 on his first attempt.

Middleton was one of five athletes in the 4A field to clear 6-3 but was the only one to clear the height on his first attempt.

Waukee sophomore Ajak Malual won the high jump by clearing 6-7.

Second Straight High Jump Medal For Hoeper

Solon junior Kade Hoeper secured a state high jump medal for the second consecutive season on Thursday finishing sixth in the Class 3A high jump.

It was the second consecutive sixth-place finish for Hoeper who finished in a five-way tie for sixth-place last season after clearing 6-foot-1.

Hoeper cleared a career-best 6-5 on his way to a sixth-place finish on Thursday.

Benton Community senior Eli Patterson cleared 6-8 to win the 3A long jump title for the second consecutive season.

Svalstad Earns Medal In State Meet Debut

Solon freshman Mac Svalstad has a bright future ahead on the Blue Oval inside Drake Stadium in Des Moines.

On Thursday Svalstad earned the first state medal of his career in his state meet debut finishing sixth in the 3A 400 in a time of 49.44.

There were three WAMAC athletes in the top six of the 3A 400 as Clear Creek Amana sophomore Quade Jensen finished third in 48.17 and Benton Community senior Owen Von Ahsen was fifth in 49.37.

Haluska Finishes Eighth in 400

Jerzey Haluska was close to a state medal in her individual state meet debut last season.

After helping Solon to an eighth-place finish in the 4×400 as a freshman Haluska finished 11^th in the 400 last season in a time of 58.93 in her first ever individual event at the state meet.

Haluska finally earned her first individual state medal on Thursday finishing eighth in the Class 3A 400 in a career-best time of 58.47.

Etuma Adds to Medal Count

City High senior Raphael Etuma earned a medal in the discus for the second straight season placing eighth in the 4A discus with a toss of 162-2.

Etuma was seventh a season ago but his eighth-place throw was more than three feet further than his seventh-place effort of 158-8 from last season.

The top five finishers in the 4A discus all recorded throws over 173-0 led by Southeast Polk senior Reece Whinery who won the discus with a toss of 183-3.

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