Coker, Murphy set records at Hollingsworth Relays

IOWA CITY — Jackson Coker set a school record, a meet record and became the first recipient of the Wymer Family Award.

Nah, it's not just the shoes.

A junior at Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Coker swept the throwing events at the Hollingsworth Relays on Saturday at West High School. His effort in the shot put (57 feet, 10 3/4 inches) was one of four meet records set on a brisk (but wind-free) day.

'I just got some new shoes,' Coker said. 'My traction was so much better than it has been. I was able to get more into my throws. And with our last three meets cancelled because of the weather, I was hungry.'

Coker and Dalles Jacobus went 1-2 in the shot and the discus, staking the Cougars to a third-place tie in the team standings.

Cedar Falls ran away with the title, winning six events and accumulating 126 1/2 points. Pleasant Valley was the runner-up with 88 points, then it was Kennedy and Linn-Mar with 74 apiece, and host West with 73.

Coker jumped to the lead with his first throw, just over 56 feet. The finale was the record-breaker; the old mark was 57-10 (Kenny Keith of Ottumwa, 2003).

'I didn't get through the ring as much as I probably should have. I probably cost myself another foot because of that,' Coker said. 'I just need to get in better rhythm.'

Coker followed with an effort of 167-6 in the discus. He was honored for his sweep in the throws as the first winner of the Wymer Family Award in recognition of former West assistant coach Brad Wymer, who now assists at Solon.

Kennedy scored 46 field-event points. Shaun Beyer cleared 6-2 to win the high jump. The Cougars also captured the shuttle hurdle relay.

The temperature was in the mid-30s when the running portion of the meet began, but Linn-Mar's Ryan Murphy didn't mind.

Murphy passed Cedar Falls' Sam Schillinger and Isaac Smith with about 250 meters to go and plastered the meet record by 19 seconds in the 3,200. Murphy was clocked in 9:23.48, a lifetime best by 12 seconds.

'It was a lot faster than I thought it would be. The plan was to get to 9:30 and ensure a spot at Drake,' Murphy said. 'That was the plan all along, to let the Cedar Falls guys do all the work and hang on for the ride. With those two guys, I figured the pace would be pretty hot.'

The chilly conditions didn't hamper Cedar Rapids Washington's 400-meter relay, either. Andrew Dostal, Alex Herzog, Trey Leonard and Isaiah Nimmers circled the track in 43.20 seconds, an effort that ranks No. 1 in Iowa this spring.

'You've just got to warm up a little more, get the legs pumping,' Nimmers said. 'We've got to keep working hard in practice. If we do, Drake should be a lot of fun.'

The Drake Relays are April 28-30.

Iowa City West got a 1-2 finish from Ali Ali and Patrick Karanja in the 1,600. Ali crossed in 4:26.78.

In addition to Coker and Murphy, meet records were set by Pleasant Valley's Karson Sommer in the 800 (1:57.41) and Cedar Falls' 3,200-meter relay (8:06.69).

BOYS' TRACK & FIELD: HOLLINGSWORTH RELAYS

At Iowa City West

Teams — 1. Cedar Falls 126.5, 2. Pleasant Valley 88, 3. (tie) C.R. Kennedy and Linn-Mar 74, 5. Iowa City West 73, 6. C.R. Washington 35, 7. Solon 30, 8. Ankeny Centennial 29, 9. Johnston 13, 10. Davenport Central 10, 11. Muscatine 4.5, 12. C.R. Xavier 1.

Shot put — 1. Jackson Coker (CRK), 57-10 3/4*; 2. Dalles Jacobus (CRK), 54-3 3/4; 3. Dallas McFarland (LM), 50-1; Discus — 1. Jackson Coker (CRK), 167-6; 2. Dalles Jacobus (CRK), 163-9; 3. Jonathan Gannon (ICW), 134-6; High jump — 1. Shaun Beyer (CRK), 6-2; 2. Streeter McIlravy (Sol), 6-2; 3. Max Cremer (PV), 5-10; Long jump — 1. Cris Eagan (CF), 21-2 1/2; 2. C.J. Carter (PV), 21-0; 3. Halston Durr (Sol), 20-11 3/4.

3,200 — 1. Ryan Murphy (LM), 9:23.48*; 2. Isaac Smith (CF), 9:25.18; 3. Sam Schillinger (CF), 9:28.08; 3,200 relay — 1. Cedar Falls (Gearhart, Nurse, Hartman, Smith), 8:06.69*; 2. Johnston, 8:16.57; 3. Pleasant Valley, 8:17.53; Shuttle hurdle relay — 1. C.R. Kennedy (Krystofiak, Coates, Dix, Beyer), 59.39; 2. Cedar Falls, 59.73; 3. Linn-Mar, 59.74; 100 — 1. Denison Harrington (CF), 11.49; 2. Alex Herzog (CRW), 11.50; 3. Nate Christensen (Sol), 11.53; 400 — 1. Keshaun Baker (PV), 50.44; 2. Gaven O'Hair (CF), 50.77; 3. Willie Dean (ICW), 51.61; 800 relay — 1. Pleasant Valley (Braden, Saul, Carter, Werning), 1:30.91; 2. Linn-Mar, 1:31.56; 3. Iowa City West, 1:31.83; 110 hurdles — 1. Duane Sleet (DC), 14.87; 2. Isaiah Barney (CF), 14.92; 3. Tavion Stewart (CRW), 15.41; 1,600 — 1. Ali Ali (ICW), 4:26.78; 2. Patrick Karanja (ICW), 4:27.99; 3. Nicholas Yanek (PV), 4:29.49; 200 — 1. Ryan Van Baale (AC), 22.34; 2. Griffin Freese (LM), 22.47; 3. Wali Parks (ICW), 22.54; 400 hurdles — 1. Nathan Hoy (CF), 56.11; 2. Daniel Gorsich (LM), 56.15; 3. Kyle Werning (PV), 56.84; 1,600 medley relay — 1. Cedar Falls (Walker, Harrington, O'Hair, Lavallee), 3:35.27; 2. Pleasant Valley, 3:50.40; 3. Linn-Mar, 3:50.95; 800 — 1. Karson Sommer (PV), 1:57.41*; 2. Camden Cox (AC), 1:58.91; 3. Isaac Smith (CF), 2:00.30; 400 relay — 1. C.R. Washington (Dostal, Herzog, Leonard, Nimmers), 43.20; 2. Ankeny Centennial, 43.91; 3. Cedar Falls, 44.19; 1,600 relay — 1. Cedar Falls (Hoy, Timmer, Smith, Lavallee), 3:24.62; 2. C.R. Kennedy, 3:26.18; 3. Iowa City West, 3:28.77.

*meet record

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