Linn-Mar seeks another first

DES MOINES - Last time Maddie Saville left Drake Stadium, she did so empty-handed.

She dearly wanted a Drake Relays championship flag, but her relays came up a smidge short.

'It was a little disappointing,” said the senior at Linn-Mar High School. 'But if we do what we hope to do this week, it would definitely make up for it.”

The state track and field meet runs Thursday through Saturday at Drake Stadium, and the Lions are hoping to go where no girls' track team from the Metro has gone before. To the top.

That's right. In the 53 years that the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union has sponsored track and field, a Metro team has never taken home a state championship.

'We've been talking about that,” said Linn-Mar Coach Nathan Hopp. 'We feel pretty confident, but we know it's going to be tough.”

The heyday of Metro girls' track came more than a generation ago. Cedar Rapids Kennedy was a state runner-up in 1978 and 1980 (finishing behind Indianola both times). Cedar Rapids Jefferson was second to Ankeny in 1981.

And that's as close as they've come.

Linn-Mar has shattered one glass ceiling this season, capturing its first Mississippi Valley Conference divisional title two weeks ago. The Lions followed with a regional crown last week, and now the aim is to end the Metro's state drought.

It's not an impossible task. Waukee and Pleasant Valley appear to be the top contenders for the 4A championship, but Linn-Mar has a fighting chance.

'It's probably going to take at least 90 points to win it,” Hopp said. 'Waukee and Pleasant Valley have really good talent. But we do, too.”

Linn-Mar's talent pool begins with junior distance star Stephanie Jenks, who already owns five individual state titles (two each in the 3,000 and 1,500, and one in the 800). She swept those three events at the Drake Relays, and her new hobby - the 400-meter hurdles - should be worth valuable points, as well.

Freshman Payton Wensel blasted through a rainy regional 400-meter dash in 56.15 seconds, which rates No. 1 in 4A. Wensel also joins junior Amber Decker and the Saville sisters (Maddie's sister, Hanna, is a sophomore) in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter relays, both of which should contend for top honors.

'Payton is awesome,” said Maddie Saville, who will run at Missouri State University next year. 'She's kind of the puzzle piece that we needed. She's got a really good attitude. She was kind of scared to anchor our relays at first, but now she's really stepping up.”

Linn-Mar is also projected to get some points in the distance medley and three field events (Ariana Rolle in the long jump, Brooke Lorenz in the high jump and Lannie Nietert in the discus).

The Lions aren't the only motivated team among the contenders.

'Waukee didn't have a great state meet last year,” Hopp said. 'And Pleasant Valley, well, with their situation ... '

Pleasant Valley outscored everyone at Drake Stadium, but distance runner Kaley Ciluffo was retroactively ruled ineligible, her points were taken away and Urbandale replaced the Spartans as the champion.

'Both of those teams will be like ours,” Hopp said. 'They'll be hungry to go out and do well.”

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