Steines’ earns fourth career state title in 3000-meter

DES MOINES — Noelle Steines’ stomach churned as the queasiness set in.

Then the standout Tipton distance runner felt that familiar catch in her throat and … she threw up.

Uh oh? No way. Everything was going according to plan in advance of Thursday’s Class 2A girls’ 3,000-meters at the state track and field meet at Drake Stadium.

“It’s nerves,” said Steines, who surged to her fourth career win at state in the event in a personal-best time of 9:53.95. “Every single year since my freshman year I’ve thrown up before the 3,000 and the distance med, but then I run good, so (when) I threw up this morning, I was like, ‘OK. I got it.’

“This is something familiar. This is part of my routine, even though I might not like it.”

The Bradley-bound senior certainly likes the accompanying gold-worthy results, anyway. Steines has now won nine state track and field titles — and three more opportunities loom in the distance medley, the 1,500 and the 800.

Oddly — and happily — enough, the latter two have never required pre-race regurgitation to conjure up first-place finishes.

“I don’t want to put pressure on myself,” said Steines, who helped the Tigers establish a lead the 2A team standings with 19 points. “This morning my mom was like, ‘Just take that pressure off yourself. You don’t deserve to be scared and live in pain all the time when you’re doing such amazing things.’”

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A couple other Gazette-area 2A athletes did big things while breathlessly jockeying between events.

Mid-Prairie freshman Jeorgia Evans notched a runner-up finish in the long jump, soaring 18 feet in her top attempt. She also ran along with her sister, Jovi, in the 100-meter preliminary heats and notched the second-best time overall. Jovi qualified fourth, so both will compete in Saturday’s finals.

“I’ve had a dream for a really long time to be able to run with her, so that’s finally coming true,” Jeorgia Evans said. “Being able to do it on the blue oval feels really good.”

Tipton’s Ella Hein did double duty in the long jump and 400-meters — and earned top-five finishes in both events.

“I’m pretty happy with how both went,” she said.

At Des Moines (Drake Stadium)

Top 10 teams (through 5 events) — 1. Tipton 19; 2. Van Meter 14; 3. Tie, Emmetsburg, Unity Christian 12; 5. Tie, Albia, Estherville LC, Manson-NW Webster, Mid-Prairie, Ogden, Pella Christian 10.

Shot put — 1. Hillary Ruschy (Estherville ELC), 43-01; 2. Lauren Travis (Spirit Lake) 41-10.5; 3. Miya Schrock (Unity Christian), 40-11.5; 5. Alyssa Pierce (West Branch), 39-06.

Long jump — 1. Taydem Graden (Ogden), 18-03.50; 2. Jeorgia Evans (Mid-Prairie), 18-00; 3. Rachel Schany (Emmetsburg), 17-08; 5. Ella Hein (Tipton), 17-00.50.

3,000 — 1. Noelle Steines (Tipton), 9:53.55; 2. Alyssa Richman (Manson-NW Webster), 9:58.49; 3. McKenna Montgomery (Albia), 10:04.20; 7. Ashlyn Sauser (Oelwein), 10:33.18; 8. Amilia Condon (Union Community), 10:38.80.

3,200 relay — 1. Van Meter (Halfpap, Streck, McCann, McCoy), 9:34.89; 2. Tri-Center, 9:38.92; 3. Unity Christian, 9:44.20; 5. Monticello, 9:48.07; 7. Mid-Prairie, 9:52.55.

400 — 1. Bailey Vos (Pella Christian), 55.90; 2. Jordan Tegeler (Northeast Goose Lake), 57.33; 3. Rachel Schany (Emmetsburg), 58.08; 4. Ella Hein (Tipton), 58.40.

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