Clear Creek Amana boys ‘have all the pieces’ for a run at the 3A track title

TIFFIN — Keep them healthy. Keep them happy.

That’s a simple-sounding mantra for Ben Robison, boys’ track and field coach at Clear Creek Amana.

Healthy? Yeah, that’s a given.

Happy?

“When you have success, you’re happier,” Robison said. “Success makes you happy. That seems to be clicking right now.”

As the outdoor season approaches, Clear Creek Amana has the early look of a Class 3A state-championship contender.

The Clippers finished in a sixth-place tie last year, scoring 37 points. Of those, 36.25 points return.

“We have all of the pieces,” senior middle-distance ace Isaac Sorensen said. “Field events, distance events, everything.”

CCA returns 10 athletes who scored points last May in Des Moines. Seven of them are seniors.

The most productive returner is junior Aren Schlemme, the reigning 3A long jump champion.

Schlemme also finished third in the 110-meter hurdles and was on the fifth-place 400-meter relay.

Sorensen, who is signed with Northwest Missouri State, was fifth in the 800 and a member of two place-winning relays. He is recovering from a calf strain.

“I’m probably at 80-85 percent now,” he said. “I want to be 100 percent in May. I’d like to run 1:52-1:53 in the 800, maybe sub-4:20 in the 1,600.”

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Senior thrower Landon Prince highlights the Clippers’ field-event prowess. He was fourth in the 3A discus in 2024.

“I’d like to be in the top three in both (the discus and shot put), anything I can do to get us the most points possible,” he said.

He threw a career-best 56 feet, 1 inch in the shot during indoor season. At Thursday’s intrasquad meet, he bettered that at 56-2 1/2.

Strength is an attribute. Repetition is a must, Prince said.

“Repetition, repetition, repetition,” he said. “You can be really good, but if you take two weeks off, it all falls apart.”

Regarding the other returners, Robison points toward sophomore Cartavion Seals as a potential breakout performer this spring.

Seals won the open 60 and the 60-meter hurdles at the IATC Indoor.

Robison acknowledged defending champion Western Dubuque, recent powerhouse Pella and Des Moines Christian as 3A title contenders.

The Clippers appear to have the balance and depth to join that trio.

Guys like Owen Rosenberg, Joey Dains, Brayden Frank, Brock Hilsman, Jackson Van Horn and Cale Berry ... those are the guys who could ultimately put CCA over the top.

“We’re as balanced as anybody,” Robison said. “We’ve got great hurdlers. That’s where we make our money.

“I’m excited about the versatility and all of the options we have. We have five that we can run in the shuttle hurdle relay. We have six pieces that can interchange in our sprint relays.”

Keep ‘em all healthy. And keep ‘em happy.

“We’re going to try really hard to put (the) Drake (Relays) on the shelf and to focus on May — conference, district, state,” Robison said.

“We’ll do everything in our power to be in the mix on Saturday in Des Moines.”

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