Drake Relays: Mid-Prairie’s Hostetler sisters run 1-2 in 3,000

DES MOINES — Anna Hostetler has emerged as the top girls' distance runner in the state.

Her chief challenger is her training partner.

Her sister.

Mid-Prairie's Hostetler siblings went 1-2 in the girls' 3,000-meter run at the Drake Relays on Thursday at Drake Stadium.

Anna, a junior, crossed the line in 9 minutes, 51.08 seconds. Marie, a freshman, was next in 9:56.78.

'It's awesome,' Anna said. 'We train together. We work hard together, and the hard work has paid off.'

It's not as if this was some sort of surprise. The Hostetlers finished 1-2 in Class 2A at the state cross country meet last fall (with Anna's effort of 17:57 leading all runners in all classes), and they were seeded 1-2 (led by Marie) coming into the race.

'This is pretty cool,' Marie said. 'Last year, I watched (McKenzie) Yanek and (Stephanie) Jenks run the 3,000.

'I thought I'd be in this race, but I didn't have a clue I'd be finishing this high.'

The Hostetlers took out the pace from the start, with Anna leading and Marie chasing.

They were 1-2 from the 400 mark all the way until the finish. Iowa City West's Bailey Nock was third; Adrianna Katcher of Center Point-Urbana was fifth.

'We wanted to go out and hold the pace the whole time,' Anna said. 'We were hoping to go 9:40 to 9:50.'

Discus champion Leah Dusterhoft of Iowa City West didn't get the distance she wanted. But the result 'was everything I hoped for.'

Disterhoft's effort of 129 feet, 3 inches was four inches better than runner-up Kenzie Sullivan of Pocahontas Area.

'I thought it would take 135 feet to win,' said Dusterhoft, a senior who will throw next year at South Dakota.

The outcome moved her to tears multiple times.

'I thought I was done crying,' she said. 'Then they handed me the (championship) flag.

'I'm just very happy right now. I want to thank my coaches and my parents. There's nothing like this.'

Darby Thomas of Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln was the long-jump champion at 18-4.

Hannah Anderson, a freshman at Washington (Iowa), was second at 18 1 1/4. Iowa City West's Valerie Welch (17-11 1/2) and Kitra Bell (17-3) were fourth and fifth.

DRAKE RELAYS: GIRLS' RESULTS

At Des Moines

Discus — 1. Leah Dusterhoft (Iowa City West), 129-3; 2. Kenzie Sullivan (Pocahontas Area), 128-11; 3. Kayla Slowick (North Scott), 127-11; 4. Alyssa Corkery (Don Bosco), 127-5; 5. Alexis Westercamp (Oskaloosa), 126-9; 6. Josey Starner (Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson), 124-7; 7. Lauren Murray (Hudson), 122-8; 8. Morgan DeJong (MOC-Floyd Valley), 121-11.

Long jump — 1. Darby Thomas (Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln), 18-4; 2. Hannah Anderson (Washington), 18-1 1/4; 3. Kenna Sauer (Ankeny Centennial), 18-1; 4. Valerie Welch (Iowa City West), 17-11 1/2; 5. Kitra Bell (Iowa City West), 17-3; 6. Lani Hillard (Louisa-Muscatine), 17-2; 7. Rylee Menster (Springville), 17-0 1/2; 8. Paighton Malek (Pella), 16-11 1/2.

3,000 — 1. Anna Hostetler (Mid-Prairie), 9:51.08; 2. Marie Hostetler (Mid-Prairie), 9:56.78; 3. Bailey Nock (Iowa City West), 10:00.13; 4. Ellie Friesen (Crestwood), 10:08.66; 5. Adrianna Katcher (Center Point-Urbana), 10:18.48; 6. Jessica McKee (Johnston), 10:19.38; 7. Brooklyn McKee (Johnston), 10:23.13; 8. Gabby Skopec (Iowa City West), 10:26.08.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com