After winning 4 state relay titles last year, Iowa City West wants ‘the whole thing’

IOWA CITY — On the backstretch of the track, on a cold afternoon earlier this week, the seeds of relay excellence were being sewn.

In Lanes 5 through 8, sprinters blasted out of the blocks, four at a time.

In Lane 4, it was one relay exchange after another.

For the Iowa City West boys’ track and field team, both are an everyday occurrence.

Starts and handoffs.

“We work a lot on our handoffs,” Coach T.J. Craig said. “You can win a state title in a relay with above-average sprinters with good handoffs.

“Of course, it helps when you have good sprinters.”

Craig has them. And last year, the Trojans had elite relays.

West won four relay titles — 4x100, 4x200, distance medley and shuttle hurdle — on its way to a Class 4A fifth-place team finish at the state meet.

“You’d think, winning four relays, we would have finished higher than fifth,” Craig said. “We’re going to utilize the guys this year the best way to get a trophy. If it’s through relays, it’s through relays.”

Most likely, it will be through three stars — seniors Aidan Jacobsen and Izaiah Loveless, and junior Moustafa Tiea.

“It would be nice to win some relays again,” said Tiea, a middle-distance specialist. It would be better to bring a trophy home.”

Of the 62 points that West accumulated at state last year, 48 1/4 are back for 2024. Only Ankeny (63 3/4) returns more points among 4A contenders.

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“Our goal is to win the whole thing,” said Loveless, who will continue his track career next year at Indian Hills Community College. “I’ve wanted that since my freshman year.”

Loveless was on three of those gold-winning relay teams, and was the 200-meter runner-up.

“I’m way faster now,” he said. “I can tell through our tempo workouts. I’m more explosive, I can get my legs moving even more.”

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Jacobsen bypassed his senior basketball season to stay healthy for track.

“I didn’t want the shin splints and whatnot,” he said.

What he does want is the state record in the 400-meter hurdles (50.96). He ran 52.46 last season in a 4A-runner-up effort, sailed nearly 23 feet in the long jump and ran on a pair of winning relays.

“Other than (Christian Janis), most of our relay guys are coming back, and we’re faster than last year,” Jacobsen said.

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Tiea anchored West’s distance medley to gold last year, and was third in the 800.

He is a threat in any race from 400 meters to 3,200.

“I don’t want to be a one-trick pony,” he said. “Whether I run the 800, the 1,600, distance medley, 4-by-8 or 4-by-4 ... it comes down to Coach. My favorite event is the one he puts me in.”

West’s roster consists of 130 athletes: “It’s huge that we get the support of our football staff in getting kids out,” Craig said.

“We have a lot of young kids that are hungry. A lot of kids make a big jump between their freshman and sophomore seasons.”

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com