Linn-Mar’s T.J. Jackson prevails with career-best effort in 4A boys’ state track and field high jump

DES MOINES — In a do-or-die scenario, T.J. Jackson did.

“I really needed this,” he said. “If I didn’t win this, I don’t know what I’d do.”

Needing to clear a career-best 6 feet, 11 inches on his final attempt to stay alive in the Class 4A boys’ high jump, the senior from Linn-Mar did, with room to spare.

And that jump, as it turned out, determined the event’s outcome at the state track and field meet Thursday morning at Drake Stadium.

Jackson and Iowa City High’s Matt Schaeckenbach both cleared 6-11, with Jackson the winner on misses.

“That was a lot of fun,” Schaeckenbach said. “The atmosphere was so good. The competition was great.”

Four guys — Jackson, Schaeckenbach, Cedar Falls’ Jacob Kieler and Davenport West’s Idris Thomas — cleared 6-9.

Kieler made it on his first attempt and was in good position to win it.

But Schaeckenbach made 6-11 on his final try (also a career-high), then skirted off the mat, hurdled a nearby barrier and bear-hugged a coach as the bar wobbled, and stayed on.

“I prayed a lot before that last jump, ‘Please, God, one more jump,’” Schaeckenbach said.

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That left it up to Jackson.

“Six-11 felt really good,” he said. “Really good.

“(Schaeckenbach) is a great jumper. City High’s crowd was really good. Our crowd was really good. It was a great atmosphere for sure.”

Jackson’s clearance gave him the edge; both missed twice at 6-11 and once at 6-9. Schaeckenbach’s miss at 6-7 was the difference.

The two survivors went to 7 feet. Both missed three times, though Jackson was close on his second and third jumps.

“I had to ask God one more time for another jump, but my loan ran out,” Schaeckenbach said.

Iowa City High leads team race after Day 1

Led by an all-time Iowa best in the 3,200-meter relay (Ammon Smith, Ayman Noreldaim, Ford Washburn, and Truman Thompson ran in 7:37.66), Iowa City High is the Day 1 leader in the 4A boys’ team race.

Through five events, the Little Hawks have 29 points in the bank. Linn-Mar is second with 22, followed by Ankeny and Johnston (18 apiece).

Before running on City’s record-setting 4x800, Washburn was second to Dowling star Jackson Heidesch in the 3,200.

After a relatively slow start, Heidesch broke from the pack and won in 9:06.86. Washburn finished in 9:13.16.

“I didn’t have it today,” Washburn said. “I didn’t feel great. I haven’t felt great the last two weeks.”

Linn-Mar’s Keaton Roskop and Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Tate Joens were second and third in the boys’ discus.

Lucas Morrison of Waukee Northwest won it with an effort of 183 feet, 1 inch. Roskop’s best throw (181-5) was his first throw; Joens threw 170-11.

4A girls: Swartzendrubers run 2-3 in the 400

It took “an awesome runner” — the words of Sidney Swartzendruber — to foil the Cedar Rapids Kennedy twins’ hopes of a 4A girls’ 400-meter sweep.

“We’ve run against (Norwalk’s Claire Farrell) since she was little,” Sidney said. “She’s an awesome runner. “Obviously, we wanted to win, but we’re happy with it.”

Farrell finished in 55.62 seconds. Addison Swartzendruber was next in 56.51, Sidney in 56.79.

“This was a success,” Addison said. “We were both in the 56s.”

Kennedy is in fourth place in the 4A girls’ standings, with 14 points through five events.

Ankeny leads with 27 points, then it’s Pleasant Valley with 18 and Johnston with 15.

Iowa City West’s Meena Tate and Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Lyla Canny tied for fourth in the high jump, clearing 5-2.

Thursday results: Class 4A boys

Top 10 teams (through 5 events) — 1. Iowa City High 29, 2. Linn-Mar 22, 3. (tie) Ankeny and Johnston 18, 5. West Des Moines Dowling 17, 6. Waukee Northwest 12, 7. Cedar Falls 9, 8. Bettendorf 7, 9. (tie) Cedar Rapids Prairie and Mason City 6.

RESULTS (Top 3 and area placewinners)

High jump — 1. T.J. Jackson (Linn-Mar), 6-11; 2. Matt Schaeckenbach (Iowa City High), 6-11; 3. Jacob Kieler (Cedar Falls), 6-9.

Discus — 1. Lucas Morrison (Waukee Northwest), 183-1; 2. Keaton Roskop (Linn-Mar), 181-5; 3. Tate Joens (Cedar Rapids Prairie), 170-11; 6. Michael Etuma (Iowa City High), 161-1.

3,200 — 1. Jackson Heidesch (West Des Moines Dowling), 9:06.86; 2. Ford Washburn (Iowa City High), 9:13.16; 3. Ethan Zuber (Ankeny), 9:14.10; 6. Miles Wilson (Cedar Rapids Kennedy), 9:18.62.

3,200 relay — 1. Iowa City High (Smith, Noreldaim, Washburn, Thompson), 7:37.66; 2. Johnston, 7:38.12; 3. West Des Moines Dowling, 7:49.99.

400 — 1. Jackson Belding (Ankeny), 47.94; 2. Jashua Anglo (Johnston), 48.13; 3. Calvin Curcija (Bettendorf), 48.53; 5. Tayden Ferguson (Linn-Mar), 49.32.

Thursday results: Class 4A girls

Top 10 teams (through 5 events) — 1. Ankeny 27, 2. Pleasant Valley 18, 3. Johnston 15, 4. Cedar Rapids Kennedy 14, 5. (tie) Waukee Northwest and West Des Moines Valley 13, 7. (tie) Des Moines Roosevelt, Norwalk and Waukee 10, 10. (tie) Southeast Polk and Dallas Center-Grimes 8.

RESULTS (Top 3 and area placewinners)

Discus — 1. Reese Goodlet (Pleasant Valley), 146-7; 2. Kileigh Lachacz (Dallas Center-Grimes), 138-6; 3. Mariah Myers (Fort Dodge), 130-2.

High jump — 1. Josie Moreland (Waukee), 5-5; 2. Reagan Hanfelt (Ankeny), 5-5; 3. Jayla Williams (Ankeny), 5-4; T-4. Meena Tate (Iowa City West), 5-2; T-4. Lyla Canny (Cedar Rapids Prairie), 5-2.

3,000 — 1. Addison Dorenkamp (West Des Moines Valley) 9:46.33; 2. Adrienne Buettner-Cable (Des Moines Roosevelt) 9:53.15; 3. Lydia Sommer (Pleasant Valley), 10:00.94.

3,200 relay — 1. Ankeny (Loeffler, Prendergast, Beason, Macke), 9:17.69; 2. Southeast Polk, 9:18.66; 3. Johnston, 9:20.58.

400 — 1. Claire Farrell (Norwalk), 55.62; 2. Addison Swartzendruber (Cedar Rapids Kennedy), 56.51; 3. Sidney Swartzendruber (Cedar Rapids Kennedy), 56.79.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com