M-P’s Miller defends; Solon leads 2A team race

Football is Tanner Miller's next chapter in life.

On Friday, the Iowa recruit from Mid-Prairie came one step closer to closing the book on his state track career. Miller successfully defended his title in the 400-meter hurdles, winning in a personal-best time of 52.36 seconds.

He topped last year's winning time of 53.07.

“It's how I pictured it,” Miller said. “I wanted to come back here and defend my title. I knew these guys would be aiming for me. I worked hard and it paid off.”

Miller grabbed the lead halfway through the race and cruised to the finish line.

Solon's Sammy Vance was second in 53.20.

Later Friday, Miller qualified for the 110 hurdle finals with the top time in the field.

He'll report June 7 for workouts with Iowa's other incoming recruits and returning players. Miller said he'll commute to campus from home during the summer.

He's OK with giving up track for football. Miller projects as a safety for the Hawkeyes.

“Football has always been my first love,” he said. “It's in the family. It's what I've grown up around… It's going to be fun. I fit the profile of what they look for when they recruit safeties.”

The Golden Hawks sit in third place in the Class 2A team race with 26 points, trailing leader Solon's total of 34.

Area teams West Liberty (23), Monticello (20), Dyersville Beckman (16) and Iowa City Regina (15) claim the fifth through eighth place spots.

Solon's Nick Day was inches shy of extending that last with a high jump title.

His final attempt at 6 feet, 9 inches, barely hit the bar.

“I think it was my butt. I barely grazed it,” Day said.

Neither he nor champion Jerad Croghan of IKM-Manning cleared 6-9, but Croghan won because he had fewer misses.

Day was 10th in this event a year ago and came in with 6-7 his previous best jump.

“It was a pretty good showing,” Day said. “I came in hoping to get top three. Second place is pretty good. I'm happy.”

Vance, James Morris, Derrick Loveless and Pat Parysz also finished in second place in the 800-meter relay, despite running faster than the previous state meet time.

The Spartans finished in 1:28.84. West Marshall was a bit faster with a time of 1:28.43.

“We all ran good. I'm happy with it.”

Loveless and Morris staked Vance to a lead, but the senior was tracked down on the home stretch.

“I thought i had a pretty good start, but he got me in the end,” Vance said. “It could have been the 400 hurdles I just ran 40 minutes earlier. I was pretty tired after that.”

Mid-Prairie's group of Jaemin Powell, Cody Bontrager, Quinn Hollan and Justin Hochstetler took first in the distance medley in a time of 3:33.05, just ahead of Iowa City Regina's 3:33.74.

Avery Meyers of West Liberty came away with a third-place finish in the discus with a throw of 154 feet.