Some rest, some recovery, then a title

DES MOINES — Josh Yeager can handle it.

Follow a fast 3,200 meters with a down-to-the-wire anchor leg? No problem.

In a back-and-forth duel with Pella ace Jordon Pingel, Yeager had the most down the stretch and led Center Point-Urbana to the Class 3A boys' 3,200-meter relay championship at the state track meet Thursday afternoon at Drake Stadium.

'I just wanted to do this for my team,' Yeager said. 'It's the greatest feeling ever.'

Adam Millikin and Ryan Wilkin gave the Stormin' Pointers a chance, then Michael Marshall moved them into contention. That left it up to Yeager.

CPU was clocked in 7:59.20, Pella in 8:02.02.

'I'm not one to celebrate,' said Yeager, who raised his arms in triumph as he crossed the finish line. 'But I was happy for this group.'

That triumph moved the Stormin' Pointers into the 3A boys' lead at the conclusion of the first day. With five events in the books, CPU has 15 1/4 points. Gilbert is next with 15, followed by Boone and Mount Pleasant with 14 apiece.

'We just want to keep rolling up the points and see where that puts us,' Yeager said.

In what was undoubtedly the race of the day, Gilbert's Thomas Pollard and Boone's Chandler Austin blitzed the all-time Iowa best in the 3,200.

Pollard built a big lead and won in 8:50.43; Austin made a late bid and finished second in 8:51.74.

Yeager finished fourth in that race, then recovered, rested and put it all out there in the relay.

'It was tough to watch, but I had faith in Josh,' Marshall said. 'I just knew I needed to get him the baton with a chance. When I did, I knew it was anybody's race from there.'

Waukon's Seth Snitker captured the discus title. His opening throw of 175-6 his best of the day and 17 feet better than anybody else.

'I came out there with that first pop, and it set the tone for the rest of the meet for me,' Snitker said.

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