Hoffmann takes a breath, earns 2nd place

DES MOINES -- Oxygen. An affirmation. Some more oxygen.

That's Leslie Hoffmann's routine.

"Before I jump, I take a deep breath and I tell myself I can do it," Hoffmann said.

"Then I take a few more deep breaths."

Hoffmann had a fairly breathtaking experience at the state track meet Thursday at Drake Stadium, earning second place in the Class 3A girls' high jump.

Alexis Conaway of MOC-Floyd Valley cleared 5 feet, 5 inches to win it. Hoffmann -- a junior at West Delaware -- just about matched her.

"I can't control what the other people are doing," said Hoffmann, who cleared 5-4 and was close at 5-5. "I just focused on what I was doing."

Hoffmann and Williamsburg's Dakotah Goodell (second in the discus) were the area highlights for 3A girls Thursday.

Through five events, the team race is a dead heat between Dubuque Wahlert (last year's champion) and Davenport Assumption (this year's favorite). Both have 26 points.

MOC-Floyd Valley is third with 22 points, followed by Solon (17).

At the Drake Relays three weeks ago, Wahlert's Katelyn Weimerskirch beat Goodell for the discus title with a dramatic final throw. This time, no late heroics were necessary.

Weimerskirch won with a fling of 154-7; Goodell was second with a personal-best 146-11.

"I'd have liked to have won, but to come out and throw my best, that's pretty good," Goodell said. "There were a lot of good girls here."

Solon got third-place finishes from Kelsey Cave in the high jump (she cleared 5-4, and also placed sixth in the discus) and Lauren Benzing in the 3,000-meter run.

Benzing stayed with Waverly-Shell Rock's Anna Holdiman and Dallas Center-Grimes' Madison Waymire for the majority of the race. Holdiman finished in 10:06.34, Waymire in 10:14.25, Benzing in 10:26.44.

"I tried to get out and stay with the leaders. I couldn't keep up today, but that doesn't mean I can't another day," Benzing said. "I tried my best and didn't give up, so I can't complain."

Mount Vernon-Lisbon's Melissa Alger was third in the discus.