New events, same results for Jenks

MARION - Stephanie Jenks is trying some new things. Wild, crazy things.

Like the unicycle, for instance. And the 400-meter hurdles.

Jenks' debut in the 400 hurdles was a winning one Tuesday. She circled the track in 1 minute, 8.61 seconds to help Linn-Mar to a dominating performance at the Lion Relays at Linn-Mar Stadium.

'I was riding my unicycle down here and there was a little girl down here working on them,” said Jenks, whose forte, of course, is generally in longer events without barriers. 'I decided to give them a try, and my mom said I didn't look too bad on them.

'I've been wanting to try them for three years.”

Jenks finally sold Coach Nathan Hopp on her plea.

'He tried me at them for 200 meters, and I guess I passed the test,” Jenks said. 'I don't know what the criteria for passing was.”

Probably, staying upright.

Jenks used her superior endurance to push from behind in the second half of the race. She also won the open 400 (59.92) in a night filled with highlights for the host team.

The Lions won nine events and accumulated 165 points. Cedar Rapids Kennedy was a distant second with 77 points, edging Dubuque Senior (76) and Marion (74).

Linn-Mar's quartet of Maddie Saville, Payton Wensel, Hanna Saville and Amber Decker became the first 1,600-meter relay unit in Iowa to eclipse the 4-minute barrier this season. Wensel's second-leg split of 56.2 seconds ignited the Lions to an effort of 3:59.61.

'I came into the race, and my legs were fresh after running 200 meters (in the 800 relay),” Wensel said.

Said Decker, who also won the 800-meter run: 'It's important that we were able to prove to ourselves we could get under 4. We really want to win this race at Drake. We want to get Maddie (the lone senior of the group) a (championship) flag.”

Linn-Mar's Brooke Lorenz set a school record in the long jump, sailing 17 feet, 8 inches. Teammate Ariana Rolle was second, an inch back.

'I love jumping here,” Lorenz said. 'I knew I was going to jump well. I'm really excited. I really wanted to qualify for Drake.”

Lorenz has enjoyed a bounce-back season after a sophomore year in which 'I didn't do anything well,” she said.

'I really wanted to bring it this year.”

Linn-Mar also got wins from Morgan Garcia in the 1,500, and its 800- and 3,200-meter relay teams along with its distance medley.

Marion and Cedar Rapids Washington posted two winners apiece. Maddie Bach (3,000) and Mahlia Brown (shot put) were champions for Marion; Jayla Johnson (100) and Amara Taylor (100 hurdles) cashed in for Washington.

Meghan Joens of Xavier was the discus champion, and Kirsten Siebenga brought Kennedy from behind to win the sprint medley relay.

LION RELAYS

At Linn-Mar Stadium

Teams - 1. Linn-Mar 165, 2. C.R. Kennedy 77, 3. Dubuque Senior 76, 4. Marion 74, 5. C.R. Xavier 59, 6. C.R. Washington 49, 7. Davenport Central 45.5, 8. Davenport West 42.5.

Shot put - 1. Mahlia Brown (Mar), 38-3 1/2; 2. Breanna Smith (Mar), 36-0 1/2; 3. Meghan Joens (CRX), 33-2 1/2; Discus - 1. Meghan Joens (CRX), 118-10 1/2; 2. Haley Blazek (Mar), 105-6; 3. Perisa Levy (CRW), 103-4; High jump - 1. Grace Gudenkauf (DS), 5-1; 2. Katie Beer (CRK), 4-10; 3. Brooke Lorenz (LM), 4-8; Long jump - 1. Brooke Lorenz (LM), 17-8; 2. Arianna Rolle (LM), 17-7; 3. Grace Gudenkauf (DS), 17-6.

3,000 - 1. Maddie Bach (Mar), 10:59.52; 2. Sydney Johnston (LM), 12:00.36; 3. Mia Rampton (DS), 12:01.58; 3,200 relay - 1. Linn-Mar (Newhouse, Jones, Hicks, Mann), 10:16.38; 2. Marion, 10:26.31; 3. C.R. Kennedy, 10:28.59; Shuttle hurdle relay - 1. Dubuque Senior (Kramer, Davis, Lightfoot, Gudenkauf), 1:10.08; 2. C.R. Kennedy, 1:11.97; 3. Linn-Mar, 1:13.10; 100 - 1. Jayla Johnson (CRW), 13.21; 2. Diamond Combs (DW), 13.22; 3. Jonteonna Tucker (DW), 13.39; Distance medley relay - 1. Linn-Mar (Sharma, Renner, Nickel, Bohnenkamp), 4:31.28; 2. C.R. Xavier, 4:32.22; 3. C.R. Kennedy, 4:32.88; 400 - 1. Stephanie Jenks (LM), 59.92; 2. Kirsten Siebenga (CRK), 1:02.82; 3. Abby Gries (LM), 1:05.19; 800 relay - 1. Linn-Mar (Lorenz, Ramsey, Decker, Wensel), 1:45.19; 2. Davenport West, 1:48.39; 3. Dubuque Senior, 1:50.59; 100 hurdles - 1. Amara Taylor (CRW), 16.46; 2. Kortney Lightfoot (DS), 17.01; 3. Lindsey Eades (CRK), 17.12; 800 - 1. Amber Decker (LM), 2:17.36; 2. Hanna Saville (LM), 2:19.25; 3. Sierra Sheets (CRW), 2:34.17; 200 - 1. Dyon Hickman (DW), 27.20; 2. Kira Ramsey (LM), 27.29; 3. Ariana Rolle (LM), 27.29; 400 hurdles - 1. Stephanie Jenks (LM), 1:08.61; 2. Bella Solis (DC), 1:09.79; 3. Sydney Brase (Mar), 1:11.71; Sprint medley relay - 1. C.R. Kennedy (Drahn, Smith, Rose-Johnson, Siebenga), 1:58.80; 2. Davenport Central, 1:59.13; 3. Davenport West, 1:59.48; 1,500 - 1. Morgan Garcia (LM), 4:58.63; 2. Maddie Bach (Mar), 5:05.43; 3. Maddie Mann (LM), 5:06.22; 400 relay - 1. Dubuque Senior (Sass, Lambe, Cook, Johnson), 51.47; 2. C.R. Xavier, 51.52; 3. Davenport Central, 51.63; 1,600 relay - 1. Linn-Mar (M.Saville, Wensel, H.Saville, Decker), 3:59.62; 2. C.R. Xavier, 4:19.15; 3. Davenport Central, 4:24.98.

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