Mount Vernon's Teubel catches his breath, wins 2 state titles

DES MOINES - Mount Vernon's 3,200-meter relay anchor Will Teubel eyed the clock, then took the baton.

Legs churning, Teubel bolted from the pack and lost himself in a race against time.

“There's a couple times where I had to run a few races alone,” said Teubel, who less than an hour and a half later triumphed in the 400-meter dash. “My team got me into great position. I had to run by myself.”

He won by running a blistering final leg of about 1:52 to bring the Mustangs' total to 7:57.66 at Thursday's Class 2A boys' state track meet at Drake Stadium.

Second-place Fort Dodge St. Edmond had run 7:59.94 in the first heat, giving Teubel and his Mustang running mates Jake Timm, Garrett Ruth and Conner Shaffer a tough time to beat.

“Our first two guys they did great, they were right with them,” Teubel said. “Our third guy did his job. He got us back into the top. We couldn't have done it without them. It was just a great team effort.”

Monticello and Cascade both led at times in the race and finished fifth and sixth, respectively.

Teubel started his leg with a slight lead, but stretched it as the ticking clock echoed in his mind.

“That was a great leg,” he said. “I've never run that fast before, I don't think.”

He ran plenty fast after catching his breath, cooling down and warming up again - in rapid succession. Teubel clocked 48.82 in the 400, beating second-place Goerge Sehl of Iowa City Regina (49.58).

“It was a pretty quick turnover,” said Teubel, who helped the Mustangs won the 2A state basketball title two months ago at Wells Fargo Arena. “I know I was late getting onto the track because I was still warming up and recovering from my 800 (leg) ... I was late getting over there. I might have been like the last guy to check in.”

But first to check out.

Teubel will attempt to win another title Saturday at 10:30 a.m. in the 800-meter run.

Winning two in a whirlwind Thursday proved tough enough to process.

“It hasn't really set in yet,” Teubel said. “I'm still just trying to catch my breath.”

Mount Vernon leads the team standings after day one with 20 points - one more than St. Edmond - the team the Mustangs stunned in the state basketball final. Regina stands fourth with 13 and Monticello's locked in a five-way tie for sixth with 10.

Mount Vernon seeks its first team title since 2004.

“We have to keep it up if we want to do what we want to do here,” Teubel said.