Mid-Prairie’s Danielle Hostetler 3-peats in 2A girls’ state track 3,000

DES MOINES — As the bell tolled, Mid-Prairie’s Danielle Hostetler found herself in the best position possible: Staring at the back of the leader. Lurking, not languishing — and poised to pounce.

“It’s truly a choice between, ‘Do I want to make it hurt bad enough?’” said Hostetler, who surged to her third straight title in the 3,000 meters during Thursday’s Class 2A state track and field meet. “I chose to take the temporary pain.”

She took it and ran with it. Hostetler powered past second-place finisher Hillary Trainor of Sumner-Fredericksburg as she entered the backstretch and never looked back, finishing in a gold-worthy time of 10:20.73.

Hosteleter’s three-peat in the event came on the heels of back-to-back state titles from her sister, Marie. Their older sister, Anna, won the 3,000 in 2017, so it’s been seven years since anyone not named Hostetler triumphed in the event at the 2A state meet.

“My sisters have taught me a lot, just about having a hard work ethic and all that,” Hostetler said. “But I also know that I am my own person, but I also love to add to their legacy.”

Hostetler bettered her previous state title-winning times by about seven and 15 seconds, respectively, so she’s not just making a name for herself. She’s setting the stage for a possible fourth straight state title next season.

“I’m so thankful,” Hostetler said. “All the glory to God. He gave me the courage and the strength to just keep pushing and to not give up. My goal coming in was to just hang onto whoever was in first and then pass them at the end.”

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Mission accomplished, again, but the pain lingered as her smile broadened.

“I tend to hit the ground after my races just because I’ve given it everything that I’ve got,” Hostetler said.

Derek Weisskopf’s rookie shot put season ends with a silver medal

That’s precisely what Williamsburg’s Derek Weisskopf did en route to a runner-up finish in the 2A boys’ shot put.

The Iowa football recruit threw the shot a personal-best 55 feet, 5 3/4 inches, but couldn’t seriously challenge champion Spencer Kessel of Louisa-Muscatine, who won with a top throw of 64 feet, 1 1/4 inches.

Still, what Weisskopf accomplished was remarkable. He had never thrown the shot before this season.

“(It was) in my mind telling myself I could do it,” said Weisskopf, who also will compete in the discus and high jump on Friday. “Just believing in myself and coming out here and competing against the best in the state right now. I had a lot of fun.”

Monticello runner-up in girls’ 3,200 relay

Monticello’s 3,200-meter girls relay team didn’t always enjoy its race Thursday at Drake Stadium, but they did dig deep to cross the finish line second in 9:43.62. Anchor Marisa Kehoe kicked in late to help the Panthers better their sixth-place finish last season.

“I didn’t have much of a race left, so I thought maybe I could pass (the then-second place runner),” Kehoe said.

Teammates Ava Capron and Halle Recker had strong carries in the second and third legs after Leah Koehler put the Panthers in front on the first leg.

“Last time I remember being at the finish line (and) I knew my performance wasn’t the best,” Koehler said. “So this time I really wanted to show that up and P’r, and just give it my all.”

Class 2A results

BOYS

Long jump — Carter Bultman (West Sioux), 22-07.75; 2. Isaac Jones (Clarinda), 21.09.25; 3. Gabe Winterrowd (OABCIG), 22-03.75; 4. Jack Miller (Jesup), 22-01.75; 5. Jay Gatto (Anamosa), 21-06.25.

3,200 — 1. Aaron Fynaardt (Des Moines Christian), 9:32.1; 2. Trenton Schaapherder (Clarinda), 9:36.36; 3. Collin Houg (Des Moines Christian), 9:40.94; 5. Conall Sauser (Oelwein), 9:59.90; 8. Nathan O’Neill (Waukon), 10:02.72.

Shot put — 1. Spencer Kessel (Louisa-Muscatine), 64-01.25; 2. Derek Weisskopf (Williamsburg), 55-05.75; 3. Zach Mehmert (Crestwood), 53-11.5.

3,200 relay — 1. Okoboji (Osler, Jones, Sandven, Heimdal), 7:59.21; 2. Des Moines Christian (McPartland, Houg, Ten Pas, Fynaardt), 8:01.77; 3. Tipton (Schmidt, Ca. Bohlmann, Nichols, Cl. Bohlmann), 8:02.16; 6. Monticello (Capron, Tallman, Tomkins, Temple), 8:10.54; 8. Waukon (N. O'Neill, J. O'Neill, Keenan, Gulla), 8:12.43.

400 — 1. Alex Razee (Shenandoah), 49.22; 2. Anthony Isley (Mediapolis), 49.97; 3. Anthony Duncan (Van Buren County), 50.04.

GIRLS

3,000 — 1. Danielle Hostetler (Mid-Prairie), 10:20.73; 2. Hillary Trainor (Sumner-Fredericksburg), 10:23.65; 3. Mayson Hartley (Clarinda), 10:33.97.

Shot put — 1. Jana Ter Wee (West Lyon), 42-05.0; 2. Katelyn Grady (Sheldon), 41-05.0; 3. Hillary Ruschy (Estherville Lincoln Central), 40-07.5; 8. Kloe Hemmersbach (Waukon), 38-01.5.

3,200 relay — 1. Van Meter (McCoy, Halfpap, Fryar, Kelly), 9:34.46; 2. Monticello (Koehler, Capron, Recker, Kehoe), 9:43.62; 3. Unity Christian (Hoogland, Noteboom, Woudstra, Schoonhoven), 9:44.67; 8. Williamsburg (Long, Phillips, DeWitt, Marovets), 9:51.37.

Long jump — 1. Carlee Rochford (New Hampton), 17-10.0; 2. Kallie Greiner (Davis County), 17-07.5; 3. Lacey Neighbor (Alburnett), 17-06.25

400 — 1. Jaidyn Sellers (Panorama), 56.67; 2. Bailey Vos (Pella Christian), 57.74; 3. Jacey Johnston (Osage), 58.27.

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