West girls regain their crown

DES MOINES -- Mike Parker was able to breathe. And enjoy.

"Usually I don't see a lot of the events, I'm so wrapped up into stuff," he said. "Today, I was able to enjoy it a little more."

Iowa City West regained its throne in Class 4A girls' track Saturday. Convincingly.

Jessica Gehrke won three more events and the Women of Troy accumulated 92 points for their fourth title in the past five years, their six in the past 11.

"This feels a lot better," said Chloe Hoagland. "Last year's bus ride home was awful."

West Des Moines Dowling was second with 67 points. Iowa City High was third with 61.

Parker beamed in the northeast corner of Drake Stadium as the meet drew to a close, and well after West had wrapped up the title. It was the same area in which he spoke to his team after last year's third-place finish.

"This is where we got our motivation for this year," he said. "We had the lead going into today, but we didn't coast downhill. We pedaled."

Gehrke claimed the 100 in 12.46 seconds, then won the 200 in 25.53. She anchored the 400-meter relay to a title in 48.16 seconds.

"I'm really pumped. I know the team was counting on me," said Gehrke, who will compete in track and volleyball at Florida International University. 

"I just wanted to end here with the best I could do."

McKennan Cronbaugh, Hoagland and Shahana Williams ran the first three legs of the 4x100.

Ashley Wilkinson of Iowa City High was second in the 200 and anchored the Little Hawks to second in the 400 relay. 

Layloni Beard of Cedar Rapids Washington had the highest finish of the day among 4A Metro schools, placing third in the 100-meter hurdles in 15.68 seconds.

"I didn't think I could place that high," she said. "I felt really good, really strong."