Jacobus sails; Cougars cruise

CEDAR RAPIDS -- There were multiple factors contributing to Derek Jacobus' relatively slow start to the track season.There was the lengthy basketball season, which cut down on his training. There was the medication he was taking for a kidney ailment. There was a twitchy hamstring.   Saturday, none of that hindered him.   "I felt like I was up in the air a long time today," Jacobus said after establishing a new school record in the long jump, leaping 23 feet, 1 1/2 inches. That helped ignite Cedar Rapids Kennedy's boys to a dominant performance at the Draxton-Stiers/Wilkinson Invitational track meet at Kingston Stadium.   The Cougars captured nine events, tallied 167 points and won by 50. Defending Class 4A state champion Linn-Mar was second with 117, followed by Cedar Rapids Jefferson (90).   "This means a lot," said Kennedy's Marcus Perkins, who held on to win the 400-meter hurdles by an eyelash in 56.30 seconds and joined forces with Jacobus in the triumphant shuttle hurdle and 400-meter relays. "I'm a senior, and to win our home meet in my last year, that's important."   In the girls' race, Jefferson chased Kennedy throughout the day and finally passed the Cougars in the final five events. The J-Hawks rode their strengths in the sprints and hurdles, winning eight events and outscoring Kennedy, 146-128.   "We simply want to do the best we can; we don't worry about the other teams," said Jefferson sprinter Lucy Schneekloth. "If our best means we win a team title, that's great. We're not going to argue."   A senior and a UNI signee, Jacobus was a state long jump champion last year, leaping 22-10 1/4. He hadn't come anywhere close to that yet this spring. In fact, he hadn't yet reached the 20-foot plateau.   When he sailed 22-3 on his first leap Saturday, his coaches in the vicinity hooted with delight -- "He's back!" exclaimed one. Then, on his next jump, the school record fell.   "I was a freshman when Caleb Mere got the record (23-0)," Jacobus said. "I wanted to get it last year, but didn't quite do it."   Before Saturday, Jacobus hadn't reached a length that would qualify him for the Drake Relays. Now, he ranks No. 1 in the state.   "I changed my approach a little," he said. "I sprinted right away (on the runway) to get some early speed."   While Jacobus and shot put champion Drew Heitland sparked the Cougars in the field events, Perkins provided a dramatic win in the 400 hurdles. He got out fast in the opening half, then held off Center Point-Urbana's Levi Gatrost and Nick Thibault at the wire.   The trio were clocked in 56.30, 56.32 and 56.37, respectively.   "If I have a good start, I know I'm going to have a good race," Perkins said. "I heard them breathing behind me, and I knew I had to step up."   Kennedy also got wins from Famiek Cook in the 200, Mark Schulz in the 400 and its medley and 1,600-meter relays.   Josh Evans of Linn-Mar ran just once, capturing the 800 meters in 1:57.53, a mark that ranks seventh in the state and should advance to Drake. Jefferson's Nate Karlan won the 100 and ran on the winning 800-meter relay that nipped the Cougars in 1:30.74.   Jefferson's girls monopolized the short races. Jasmine Blue edged Kennedy's Amarri Waller in the 100, then Schneekloth led a 1-2 J-Hawks effort in the 200. Madison Ranschau led the field in the 100 hurdles.   The J-Hawks won five relays -- the 400, 800, 1,600, shuttle hurdle and sprint medley.   "Considering the (windy) conditions, our times were good," Schneekloth said. "We're not supposed to say it was bad. We're not supposed to let it bother us. So it doesn't."   Jade Irish, Kelsie Coates and Kirsten Siebenga were double-winners for Kennedy, winning the high jump, 400 hurdles and 800 and joining forces in the distance medley relay.   

BOYS TRACK & FIELD: DRAXTON-STIERS INVITATIONAL

At Kingston Stadium

Teams -- 1. C.R. Kennedy 167, 2. Linn-Mar 117, 3. C.R. Jefferson 90, 4. Center Point-Urbana 67, 5. Marion 57, 6. C.R. Xavier 40, 7. Burlington 20.

Shot put -- 1. Drew Heitland (CRK), 51-5 1/4; 2. Kyle Hayek (LM), 45-4 1/2; 3. Austin Holzer (CRK), 44-5 1/2;

Discus -- 1. Andrew Reeves (CPU), 143-8; 2. Caleb Franzenburg (CPU), 134-5; 3. Dalles Jacobus (CRK), 130-5;

High jump -- 1. Levi Gatrost (CPU), 6-3; 2. Shaun Beyer (CRK), 6-3; 3. Willie Rhoads (CRK), 5-10;

Long jump -- 1. Derek Jacobus (CRK), 23-1 1/2; 2. Curtis McCrary (LM), 21-2 1/2; 3. Nick Stark (CRX), 21-1.

3,200 relay -- 1. Linn-Mar (Gosch, Dolezal, A'Hearn, Schuring), 8:30.88; 2. Center Point-Urbana, 8:40.79; 3. Marion, 8:41.48;

3,200 -- 1. Jacob Schmitt (CRX), 10:41.37; 2. Colton Forster (Mar), 10:54.77; 3. Derek Girling (CRK), 11:06.03;

Shuttle hurdle relay -- 1. C.R. Kennedy (Cook, Jacobus, Perkins, Beyer), 58.80; 2. Center Point-Urbana, 1:03.10; 3. Marion, 1:03.10;

100 -- 1. Nate Karlan (CRJ), 11.72; 2. Curtis McCrary (LM), 12.04; 3. Nick Stark (CRX), 12.10;

400 -- 1. Mark Schulz (CRK), 52.69; 2. Duggan Trenary (LM), 53.78; 3. Jimmie Bonheur (CRJ), 54.33;

800 relay -- 1. C.R. Jefferson (Soko, Karlan, Beaton, Larson), 1:30.74; 2. C.R. Kennedy, 1:30.77; 3. Linn-Mar, 1:36.04;

110 hurdles -- 1. Quinn Cannoy (Mar), 15.71; 2. Savaun Bounds (CRJ), 16.27; 3. Devin Quinn (Mar), 16.46;

1,600 -- 1. Daniel Murphy (LM), 4:34.55; 2. Tanner Rathje (LM), 4:38.24; 3. Jacob Huber (Burl), 4:40.51;

200 -- 1. Famiek Cook (CRK), 23.61; 2. Jacob Shannon (CRK), 24.04; 3. Zeal Baker (LM), 24.19;

400 hurdles -- 1. Marcus Perkins (CRK), 56.30; 2. Levi Gatrost (CPU), 56.32; 3. Nick Thibault (CPU), 56.37;

1,600 medley relay -- 1. C.R. Kennedy (Baker, Christopher, Gaffey, Schulz), 3:40.33; 2. C.R. Jefferson, 3:50.09; 3. Linn-Mar, 3:52.26;

800 -- 1. Josh Evans (LM), 1:57.53; 2. Steve Kruse (Burl), 1:58.06; 3. Trey Hitchings (CRJ), 2:09.41;

400 relay -- 1. C.R. Kennedy (Perkins, Cook, Shannon, Jacobus), 43.97; 2. C.R. Jefferson, 44.41; 3. C.R. Xavier, 45.76;

1,600 relay -- 1. C.R. Kennedy (Tinkey, Gaffey, Schoenauer, Duehr), 3:29.85; 2. Linn-Mar, 3:30.19; 3. C.R. Jefferson, 3:42.03.   

GIRLS TRACK & FIELD: WILKINSON RELAYS  

At Kingston Stadium

Teams -- 1. C.R. Jefferson 146, 2. C.R. Kennedy 128, 3. Dubuque Hempstead 90, 4. Cedar Falls 80, 5. C.R. Prairie 75, 6. Center Point-Urbana 50, C.R. Xavier 13.

Shot put -- 1. Allison Griffin (CF), 40-3 1/2; 2. Hope Koerperich (DH), 38-3 1/2; 3. Natalie Rumer (CRP), 37-5 1/2;

Discus -- 1. Hope Koerperich (DH), 131-6; 2. Kennedy Salow (CPU), 120-1; 3. Morgan Martin (CRK), 108-10;

High jump -- 1. Jade Irish (CRK), 5-0 1/2; 2. Ashlyn Osborn (CPU), 4-8; 3. Maddie Baestle (CRP), 4-8;

Long jump -- 1. Nakiah Kimble (DH), 15-7 3/4; 2. Katie Beer (CRK), 15-4 1/2; 3. Paige Pritts (CRP), 15-2.

3,000 -- 1. Alyssa Averhoff (CRK), 11:21.01; 2. Allison Culver (CRK), 11:45.64; 3. Megan Ely (CRJ), 12:21.65;

3,200 relay -- 1. Dubuque Hempstead (Muntz, Buchheit, Lindblom, Saddler), 10:25.66; 2. C.R. Jefferson, 10:45.02; 3. C.R. Kennedy, 10:47.91;

Shuttle hurdle relay -- 1. C.R. Jefferson (A.Ranschau, Trosky, Kitterman, M.Ranschau), 1:08.53; 2. C.R. Prairie, 1:10.24; 3. Cedar Falls, 1:12.81;

100 -- 1. Jasmine Blue (CRJ), 13.52; 2. Amarri Waller (CRK), 13.54; 3. Nakiah Kimble (DH), 13.62;

Distance medley relay -- 1. C.R. Kennedy (Irish, Drahn, Coates, Siebenga), 4:33.18; 2. Cedar Falls, 4:43.02; 3. Center Point-Urbana, 4:47.44;

400 -- 1. Bailey Ohesorge (DH), 1:03.18; 2. Adrianna Hargrove (CRJ), 1:05.40; 3. Kennedy Salow (CPU), 1:06.89;

800 relay -- 1. C.R. Jefferson (A.Ranschau, Blue, Meese, Schneekloth), 1:44.97; 2. C.R. Kennedy, 1:50.80; 3. Cedar Falls, 1:51.66;

110 hurdles -- 1. Madison Ranschau (CRJ), 15.59; 2. Hailee Montgomery (CRP), 16.39; 3. Sam Kitterman (CRJ), 17.21;

800 -- 1. Kirsten Siebenga (CRK), 2:33.35; 2. Meredith Koenigsfeld (CRJ), 2:37.90; 3. Payton Hasleiet (CPU), 2:38.76;

200 -- 1. Lucy Schneekloth (CRJ), 27.09; 2. Abilene Ranschau (CRJ), 27.25; 3. Amarri Waller (CRK), 27.29;

400 hurdles -- 1. Kelsie Coates (CRK), 1:11.69; 2. Maddie Smith (Cedar Falls), 1:13.11; 3. Brenna Parke (CRJ), 1:14.04;

Sprint medley relay -- 1. C.R. Jefferson (M.Ranschau, Meese, Schneekloth, Blue), 1:53.85; 2. Dubuque Hempstead, 1:56.49; 3. C.R. Prairie, 2:02.59;

1,500 -- 1. Cassidy Christopher (CF), 5:14.97; 2. Alyssa Averhoff (CRK), 5:16.46; 3. Sarah Hanna (CRJ), 5:27.40;

400 relay -- 1. C.R. Jefferson (Schneekloth, A.Ranschau, Meese, Blue), 49.91; 2. C.R. Prairie, 51.23; 3. C.R. Xavier, 53.29;

1,600 relay -- 1. C.R. Jefferson (Kitterman, Anderson, Belew, Koenigsfeld), 4:15.76; 2. Cedar Falls, 4:23.11; 3. C.R. Kennedy, 4:42.66.