Dropped baton leads to Monticello winning 4x800 title, setting record

DES MOINES - Matt Manternach watched the baton fall from Nic Scheelhaase right after he crossed the finish line, or so it appeared.

It looked as if Kingsley-Pierson/Woodbury Central had just set the state meet record, running 7:48.95, in the Class 2A boy's 4x800-meter relay. Monticello just a couple steps behind, running 7:50.39, but a review of the dropped baton was imminent.

'I could hear the crowd and then it got really quiet,” Manternach said. 'I didn't hear anything was going to happen at first.”

Shortly after, the review determined Scheelhaase had let the baton fall just before crossing the finish line, effectively taking away KP-WC's record and title. Instead, Monticello claimed its third-straight crown in the event, and broke its own record set in 2013.

'I felt for their anchor because he really ran a good race,” Manternach said. 'It was a good race for our guys, too, and was just really exciting. We didn't know if we had the potential this year to come and win it.”

Tipton's Eric Lenz ran out front from start to finish to capture the state championship in the 3,200-meter run in 9:25.91. Lenz said his fourth-place finish in the two-mile last year and a seventh-place finish (9:28.40) at the Drake Relays last month all aided in his performance on Thursday.

'When we hit Drake, I knew that would be one more big step for the state meet,” Lenz said. 'It's definitely a boost of confidence knowing I can run with those guys and had a lot of confidence coming in here.”

Clayton Ridge's Ryan Moser redeemed a sixth-place finish in shot put from last year by winning a 2A title in 2015. His throw of 56 feet, 3.5 inches gave Clayton Ridge its first-ever shot put champion.

Tristan Wirfs (Mount Vernon) was second with his toss of 55 feet, 6.5 inches.

'I was getting kind of nervous because I knew the guy after me could put some out there too,” Moser said. 'But I ended up throwing my personal best and it was enough to win.”

West Branch's Cooper Koenig notched a third-place finish in the long jump with a leap of 22 feet, 10.5 inches.