Throwers ignite Iowa City West boys, which earn 15 automatic state qualifications

IOWA CITY — Colin Whitters’ reaction to a breezy throwing competition was minimal.

He didn’t overcompensate. He didn’t overthink.

“You just have to adjust a little,” the Iowa City West junior said. “Think about it the least you can. Work on the process, and everything will fall into place.”

Whitters led a 1-2 West monopoly in the shot put and a 1-3 attack in the discus. That helped kick-start the Trojans on their way to a Class 4A boys’ title at Thursday’s Class 4A state-qualifying track and field meet at Trojan Field.

West out-tallied Cedar Rapids Prairie, 176-168. The Trojans snagged 15 automatic state berths, the reward for a first- or second-place finish in any event; the Hawks earned 12.

At 4 p.m. Thursday, the wind in Iowa City was out of the southwest at 24 miles per hour, with gusts much higher than that. Wind can be a problem for discus throwers.

And yet, Whitters went over the 180-foot mark on four of six throws, topping out at 186 feet, 9 inches.

That effort ranks No. 2 in the state (all classes), No. 1 in 4A.

“I don’t think I’ve popped off my best one yet,” he said. “Next week is the time to do it.

“It just takes one.”

Whitters heaved the shot 57-5 3/4, about 7 inches farther that teammate James Barnett, a freshman.

“Just a freaking freshman,” Whitters said. “He puts in a tremendous amount of work.”

West won eight events, including four relays. Middle-distance ace Moustafa Tiea was the champion in the 400 and 800, and anchored the Trojans’ winning 4x800.

As for Prairie, defending state champions T.J. Pour (long jump) and Quinton Alexander (110 hurdles) won those events Thursday. The Hawks closed the meet with a 3:18.93 clocking in the 4x400.

“We want to shoot for 3:16 or 3:17 at state,” anchor Carson Nove said. “Tonight, I wanted to stay smooth. I had some left at the end if I had to use it.”

Southeast Polk was the girls’ champion, with 159 points and 10 automatic qualifiers.

Cedar Rapids Prairie (145.5 points) accumulated seven automatic qualifiers, including three champions — Reese Wiley (400), Paisley Joens (400 hurdles) and its sprint medley relay.

Wiley is a sophomore, Joens a freshman.

“There are so many good athletes on our team. We have the potential to be so good,” Joens said. “I’m excited for our future.

“I’m happy to win tonight. I hope to go sub-65 at state, and if I do that, I’ll be happy wherever I place.”

Iowa City High’s Rachel Haack swept the girls’ throwing events, and Iowa City Liberty’s Keegan Decker won the boys’ 3,200 and 1,600.

At-large qualifiers will be revealed Friday.

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Girls Results

(Top 2 automatically qualify for state)

Teams — 1. Southeast Polk 159, 2. C.R. Prairie 145.5, 3. Iowa City High 123, 4. Dubuque Senior 86, 5. Iowa City West 85, 6. Dubuque Hempstead 64, 7. Iowa City Liberty 49.5, 8. C.R. Washington 26.

Shot put — 1. Rachel Haack (City High), 42-1 1/4; 2. Kennedy Borud (SE Polk), 39-5 3/4; 3. Eden Lee (Dbq Senior), 38-3.

Discus — 1. Rachel Haack (City High), 139-1; 2. Hannah Braun (City High), 132-7; 3. Madalynn Weber (Prairie), 122-0.

High jump — 1. Sophia Austen (IC West), 5-3; 2. Cambel Drapeau (Dbq Senior), 5-2; 3. Lyla Canny (Prairie), 5-2.

Long jump — 1. Amara MacLagan (IC West), 18-1 3/4; 2. Alexi Thigpen (Liberty), 17-11 3/4; 3. Piper Sweeting (City High), 17-5 1/2.

Sprint medley relay — 1. C.R. Prairie (Russell, Cooper, Hunter, Wiley), 1:48.47; 2. Iowa City High, 1:50.29; 3. Dubuque Hempstead, 1:50.79.

3,000 — 1. Emily Gorton (Dbq Senior), 10:36.71; 2. Claire Hoyer (Dbq Senior), 10:37.56; 3. Nina Peterson (City High), 10:39.14.

3,200 relay — 1. Dubuque Senior (Chesterman, Kessler, Hoyer, Gorton), 9:46.09; 2. Iowa City High, 9:49.71; 3. Southeast Polk, 10:02.16.

Shuttle hurdle relay — 1. Southeast Polk (Kiester, Vandelune, Gustafson, Severs), 1:06.51; C.R. Prairie, 1:06.98; 3. Iowa City West, 1:07.58.

100 — 1. Alayna Goldsberry (SE Polk), 12.84; 2. Asia Russell (Prairie), 12.87; 3. Avah Cooper (Prairie), 13.24.

Distance medley relay — 1. Iowa City West (Mathias, Steva, Willis, Van Waning), 4:22.53; 2. Southeast Polk, 4:22.82; 3. Dubuque Hempstead, 4:23.02.

400 — 1. Reese Wiley (Prairie), 58.61; 2. Brooklynn Ruddy (SE Polk), 59.18; 3. Josephine Smith (SE Polk), 1:00.38.

800 relay — 1. Southeast Polk (Leo, Tarplah, Weiland, Goldsberry), 1:42.82; 2. Dubuque Hempstead, 1:44.65; 3. C.R. Prairie, 1:45.29.

100 hurdles — 1. Sophia Olivo (IC West), 15.04; 2. Brilynn Kiester (SE Polk), 15.80; 3. Baylee Whitehill (Prairie), 16.11.

800 — 1. Emma Chesterman (Dbq Senior), 2:18.89; 2. Reese Wiley (Prairie), 2:18.98; 3. Abigail Burns, (City High), 2:20.26.

200 — 1. Teresa Tarplah (SE Polk), 26.34; 2. Ashlynn Hunter (Prairie), 26.55; 3. Ellie Fraga (City High), 26.79.

400 hurdles — 1. Paisley Joens (Prairie), 1:06.16; 2. Eva Willis (IC West), 1:07.75; 3. Avery Otte (SE Polk), 1:08.49.

1,500 — 1. Emily Gorton (Dbq Senior), 4:48.28; 2. Emma Chesterman (Dbq Senior), 4:48.84; 3. Harper Groteluschen (Prairie), 4:52.04.

400 relay — 1. Southeast Polk (Leo, Weiland, Tarplah, Goldsberry), 48.21; 2. C.R. Washington, 49.09; 3. C.R. Prairie, 49.41.

1,600 relay — 1. Southeast Polk (Ruddy, Smith, Weiland, Goldsberry), 4:04.78; 2. Dubuque Hempstead, 4:05.06; 3. C.R. Prairie, 4:05.84.

Boys Results

(Top 2 automatically qualify for state)

Teams — 1. Iowa City West 176, 2. C.R. Prairie 168, 3. Iowa City High 93.5, 4. Southeast Polk 88, 5. Dubuque Senior 80, 6. Iowa City Liberty 69.5, 7. Dubuque Hempstead 40, 8. C.R. Washington 22.

Shot put — 1. Colin Whitters (IC West), 57-5 3/4; 2. James Barnett (IC West), 56-10 1/2; 3. Tyler Rindels (City High), 50-8.

Discus — 1. Colin Whitters (IC West), 186-9; 2. Raphael Etuma (City High), 173-2; 3. Elite Mbulekoya (IC West), 167-0.

High jump — 1. Bernard Grant (City High), 6-3; 2. Colt Hobson (Prairie), 6-2; 3. Victor Nakihinga (Liberty), 6-0.

Long jump — 1. T.Y. Pour (Prairie), 23-0 3/4; 2. Mason Woods (IC West), 22-9; 3. Denzil Green (Prairie), 22-5.

Sprint medley relay — 1. Iowa City West (Woods, Gameti, Manson, Goering), 1:33.28; 2. C.R. Prairie, 1:33.48; 3. Dubuque Senior, 1:33.95.

3,200 — 1. Keegan Decker (Liberty), 9:33.51; 2. Nicholaus Lee (Prairie), 9:33.85; 3. Kyle Johnson (Prairie), 9:35.01.

3,200 relay — 1. Iowa City West (Olaleye, Gopinath, Bruss, Tiea), 8:07.78; 2. Dubuque Senior, 8:09.13; 3. C.R. Prairie, 8:09.79.

Shuttle hurdle relay — 1. Iowa City West (Smock, Ibrahim, Towler, Gorsh), 58.51; 2. C.R. Prairie, 59.49; 3. Iowa City High, 1:01.02.

100 — 1. Emmanuel Gaye (SE Polk), 11.26; 2. Fredrick Tarasid-Tarawally (SE Polk), 11.36; 3. Magnus Kpahn (Prairie), 11.47.

Distance medley relay — 1. Iowa City West (Woods, Manson, Dunham, Showers), 3:37.88; 2. C.R. Prairie, 3:39.69; 3. Southeast Polk, 3:41.53.

400 — 1. Moustafa Tiea (IC West), 49.02; 2. Drew Bennis (Prairie), 49.05; 3. Charles Crow (Dbq Senior), 49.72.

800 relay — 1. Southeast Polk (Chambers, Tarasid-Tarawally, Thompson, Gaye), 1:28.24; 2. Iowa City West, 1:28.54; 3. Dubuque Senior, 1:29.52.

110 hurdles — 1. Quinton Alexander (Prairie), 14.57; 2. Waleed Ibrahim (IC West), 15.12; 3. Ely Smock (IC West), 15.40.

800 — 1. Moustafa Tiea (IC West), 1:59.37; 2. Sam Showers (IC West), 2:00.54; 3. Maxwell McDowell (City High), 2:01.49.

200 — 1. Emmanuel Gaye (SE Polk), 22.46; 2. Mereweneza Byishimo (Prairie), 22.73; 3. Zachary Heiar (Dbq Senior), 22.91.

400 hurdles — 1. Garrett Schumacher (Dbq Senior), 54.09; 2. Ely Smock (IC West), 54.72; 3. Owen Leitzen (Hempstead), 55.60.

1,600 — 1. Keegan Decker (Liberty), 4:19.69; 2. Nicholaus Lee (Prairie), 4:19.91; 3. George Karr (City High), 4:26.66.

400 relay — 1. C.R. Prairie (Alexander, Stumpff, Peterka, Kpahn), 41.89; 2. Southeast Polk, 42.36; 3. Iowa City High, 43.05.

1,600 relay — 1. C.R. Prairie (Bennis, Roelfs, Erickson, Nove), 3:18.93; 2. Iowa City West, 3:22.22; 3. Dubuque Senior, 3:22.22.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com