Forwald-Coleman provides a fast ‘last chance’ for Drake

We've reached now-or-never time for Drake Relays qualification.

The door slams shut for high school entries at 11:59 p.m. Thursday. That's a few hours after the conclusion of Thursday meets, which includes a Forwald-Coleman Relays at Iowa City High that is absolutely stacked on the girls' side.

'I don't think there's any argument that four of the top teams in the state will be there,' said Linn-Mar girls' coach Nathan Hopp, whose team was the Class 4A runner-up last year.

The Lions will be joined by reigning 4A champion Pleasant Valley, as well as Waukee and Iowa City West, among others. The team race is one thing to keep an eye on, but not the top priority Thursday.

For now, it's load some events, qualify for Drake and enhance heat and lane assignments. The Drake Relays is April 28-30.

'We've got some good stuff going, but I don't want to leak anything,' Hopp said. 'There's one race, at least, that will be worth the price of admission.'

That could be the 400-meter hurdles. West's Valerie Welch moved into the state lead with a clocking of 1:04.28 at Ottumwa on Tuesday. Carly Donahue of Pleasant Valley is No. 3 at 1:04.63. Linn-Mar distance ace Stephanie Jenks still is trying to get qualified in that event; the cutoff stood at 1:06.09 as of Wednesday morning.

Depending on who stacks what, several of the relays figure to blaze, as well.

As the weather improved in the past week, the Drake cutoff needle has moved dramatically in virtually every event. This year's cutoff is better than the average standard from the last four years in 12 of 16 boys' events, and in nine of 16 girls' events (the open 200 and 400 are not contested at Drake, nor is the girls' distance medley relay).

Linn-Mar's boys — who also will compete at the Forwald-Coleman meet — lead the state in three boys' events that will be contested at Drake. Ryan Murphy is No. 1 in the 3,200-meter run (9:23.48), and the Lions have the top times in the 800-meter relay (1:28.79) and shuttle hurdle relay (57.30).

Monticello's Matt Manternach has taken over the lead in the boys' 800 (1:55.25) and Center Point-Urbana's JoJo Frost paces the boys' 110 hurdles (14.43).

Jenks holds the girls' standard in the 3,000 (9:59.34). Cedar Rapids Jefferson's girls are tops in the 400- and 800-meter relays at 48.72 and 1:41.37, respectively. City High's Rose Gamamou and South Tama's Stacey Slaven share the lead in the girls' high jump, at 5-5.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com