J-Hawks race toward the top of the chart, again

CEDAR RAPIDS — Abilene Ranschau watched Jasmine Blue round the final curve. Then she watched the clock.

'When she hit the final straightaway and we were at 1:27, I knew we were going to be in extremely good shape,' Ranschau said.

Cedar Rapids Jefferson put itself on the state's all-time speed chart — again — in the 800-meter relay at the Draxton-Stiers/Wilkinson Invitational track and field meet Saturday at Kingston Stadium.

Ranschau, MiAsia Bergmann, Autumn Anderson and Blue ran in 1:41.37, a mark that leads the state this spring, and an effort that ranks No. 6 in Iowa all-time. Nobody has run faster this early in the season.

'That's awesome,' said Blue, who — like Ranschau — will run at the University of Northern Iowa next year. 'It really sets us up for what we're looking at once we get to (the) Drake (Relays) and state.'

Consider this: Blue has run on four of the top six 800 relays in state history. The J-Hawks rank first (1:39.24 in 2015), second (1:40.94, 2013), fourth (1:41.12, 2014) and now sixth (1:41.37, Saturday).

'It feels so good to be up there all four years,' she said. 'I think we can break (last year's all-time mark) if we keep pushing. Everybody's starting to catch on, and we're all starting to fit together.'

The same foursome ran 48.72 in the 400 relay (No. 1 in Iowa this spring), and Jefferson also ran 3:58.81 in the 1,600 relay, which ranks second.

Both team races were runaways. Host Cedar Rapids Kennedy amassed 174 points (68 in the field events) and won the boys' meet by a bundle. Jefferson was second with 90 1/2 points, followed by Linn-Mar (89 1/2) and Marion (84).

Iowa City West accumulated 163 points in the girls' competition. Cedar Falls was second with 113, then it was Jefferson with 88.

The race of the day came in the girls' 100-meter hurdles, in which West's Valerie Welch edged Ranschau, 14.55 seconds to 14.59 in a wind-aided dandy.

'She was coming up on me, and I thought she was going to catch me, but she nicked (the eighth) hurdle,' said Welch, who also won the 400-meter hurdles and the long jump. 'We were still neck and neck.'

Ranschau and Welch went 1-2 at state last year, and they rank 1-2 (in opposite order) in Iowa this season.

'I thought I had her,' Ranschau said. 'Then I hit that hurdle, and I thought, 'Oh, crap.''

Kennedy won seven events to blast the boys' field. Jackson Coker swept the throws, including a school-record-setting 60 feet, 8 1/2 inches in the shot put.

Shaun Beyer won the long jump, and the Cougars captured four relays.

Center Point-Urbana's JoJo Frost lowered his state-leading time in the 110 hurdles, motoring through them in 14.19 seconds, then added a 54.45-second effort in the 400 hurdles, good enough for No. 3 statewide.

'I knew the field was going to be tough, so I had to get out and go hard,' Frost said. 'I've got to continue to push and get better each day. We only have another meet or two before (the Drake cutoff), it's do-or-die time. You either make it or you don't.'

The Drake field will be determined after Thursday's competition.

Jefferson's Jacob Beaton won the 100, 200 and ran on the victorious 400 relay.

DRAXTON-STIERS/WILKINSON INVITATIONAL

At Kingston Stadium

BOYS RESULTS

Teams — 1. C.R. Kennedy 174, 2. C.R. Jefferson 90.5, 3. Linn-Mar 89.5, 4. Marion 84, 5. Center Point-Urbana 53, 6. C.R. Xavier 49, 7. Burlington 18.

High jump — 1. Blair Brooks (Mar), 6-6; 2. Shaun Beyer (CRK), 6-4 1/4; 3. Malik Haynes (CRK), 6-2; Long jump — 1. Shaun Beyer (CRK), 22-3 1/2; 2. Terrell Jordan, Jr. (CRK), 21-5; 3. Derek Randklev (LM), 20-3; Shot put — 1. Jackson Coker (CRK), 60-8 1/2; 2. Dalles Jacobus (CRK), 55-10 3/4; 3. Baylor Pree (LM), 50-0; Discus — 1. Jackson Coker (CRK), 164-9; 2. Dalles Jacobus (CRK), 164-0; 3. Dallas McFarland (LM), 135-8.

3,200 relay — 1. C.R. Kennedy (Middlekauff, Krystofiak, Solsrud, Price), 8:19.71; 2. C.R. Xavier, 8:23.88; 3. Marion, 8:34.19; 3,200 — 1. Myles Bach (Mar), 9:58.22; 2. Harrison Vanderlinden (Mar), 10:52.39; Barrett Wise (CRJ), 11:03.95; Shuttle hurdle relay — 1. C.R. Kennedy (Coates, Jordan, Gardner, Beyer), 58.04; 2. Linn-Mar, 59.60; 3. C.R. Jefferson, 1:00.61; 100 — 1. Jacob Beaton (CRJ), 10.94; 2. Manny Olutunde (CRJ), 11.21; 3. Jax Junge (CRX), 11.31; 400 — 1. Nate Schmidt (Mar), 51.91; 2. Matt Gardner (CRK), 53.09; 3. Johnny Seitz (LM), 53.60; 800 relay — 1. C.R. Kennedy (Baker, Duehr, Jones, Christopherson), 1:31.73; 2. C.R. Jefferson, 1:31.80; 3. Marion, 1:35.19; 110 hurdles — 1. JoJo Frost (CPU), 14.19; 2. Shaun Beyer (CRK), 14.76; 3. Logan Sarchett (CPU), 14.76; 1,600 — 1. Cole Schroeder (Burl), 4:36.60; 2. Jeremy Fopma (Mar), 4:47.76; 3. Kyle Gansen (LM), 4:51.68; 200 — 1. Jacob Beaton (CRJ), 23.06; 2. Griffin Freese (LM), 23.09; 3. Connor Christopherson (CRK), 23.36; 400 hurdles — 1. JoJo Frost (CPU), 54.45; 2. Austin Coates (CRK), 54.98; 3. Chris Krystofiak (CRK), 57.32; 1,600 medley relay — 1. C.R. Jefferson (Crockett, Fowler, Yancey, Burnett), 3:51.15; 2. Linn-Mar, 3:51.32; 3. Marion, 4:03.14; 800 — 1. Wyatt Gatrost (CPU), 2:02.54; 2. Josh Gerke (CRX), 2:02.91; 3. Ryley Radack (LM), 2:10.58; 400 relay — 1. C.R. Jefferson (Crockett, Boyoko, Beaton, Bolden), 44.12; 2. C.R. Kennedy, 44.21; 3. Linn-Mar, 44.69; 1,600 relay — C.R. Kennedy (Price, Gardner, Coates, Krystofiak), 3:26.98; 2. C.R. Jefferson, 3:28.28; 3. Marion, 3:30.80.

GIRLS RESULTS

Teams — 1. Iowa City West 163, 2. Cedar Falls 113, 3. C.R. Jefferson 88, 4. C.R. Kennedy 66, 5. C.R. Xavier 57, 6. C.R. Prairie 51, 7. Dubuque Hempstead 50.

High jump — 1. Katie Beer (CRK), 5-0; 2. Auriona Kimbrough (CF), 4-10; 3. Taylor Lynch (CF), 4-8; Long jump — 1. Valerie Welch (ICW), 17-5; 2. Micaela Gravelin (ICW), 17-0; 3. Katie Beer (CRK), 16-10 1/2; Shot put — 1. Chandler Haight (ICW), 41-5; 2. Zainab Makky (ICW), 36-6 1/2; 3. Meghan Joens (CRX), 36-5 1/2; Discus — 1. Leah Dusterhoft (ICW), 127-4; 2. Meghan Joens (CRX), 113-7 1/2; 3. Zainab Makky (ICW), 112-1.

3,000 — 1. Gabby Skopec (ICW), 10:54.38; 2. Heather Hostager (DH), 11:11.71; 3. Hannah Frazee (CRP), 11:13.89; 3,200 relay — 1. C.R. Jefferson (Hanna, Meyer, Ely, Hargrove), 10:12.06; 2. Dubuque Hempstead, 10:26.18; 3. C.R. Xavier, 10:37.84; Shuttle hurdle relay — 1. C.R. Jefferson (Ranschau, Bergmann, Anderson, Kitterman), 1:06.91; 2. Iowa City West, 1:07.84; 3. Cedar Falls, 1:10.72; 100 — 1. Alicia Harrington (CF), 12.09; 2. Amarri Waller (CRK), 12.49; 3. Jenna Ross (CRP), 12.72; Distance medley relay — 1. C.R. Xavier (Miller, Parr, Tallett, Dickes), 4:29.17; 2. Iowa City West, 4:33.70; 3. C.R. Kennedy, 4:40.44; 400 — 1. Alicia Harrington (CF), 1:01.65; 2. Micaela Gravelin (ICW), 1:03.07; 3. Madison Hall (CF), 1:03.37; 800 relay — 1. C.R. Jefferson (Ranschau, Bergmann, Anderson, Blue), 1:41.37; 2. C.R. Kennedy, 1:46.84; 3. C.R. Prairie, 1:49.35; 100 hurdles — 1. Valerie Welch (ICW), 14.55; 2. Abilene Ranschau (CRJ), 14.59; 3. Theresa Lampe (CRX), 16.14; 800 — 1. Bailey Nock (ICW), 2:22.72; 2. Tia Saunders (ICW), 2:22.85; 3. Sarah Hanna (CRJ), 2:27.73; 200 — 1. MiAsia Bergmann (CRJ), 26.68; 2. Kenzie Soeken (CRP), 27.27; 3. Kate Moody (CF), 27.96; 400 hurdles — 1. Valerie Welch (ICW), 1:06.23; 2. Ellie Trosky (CRJ), 1:14.47; 3. Anna Chestnut (CF), 1:14.55; Sprint medley relay — 1. Cedar Falls (Longnecker, Geerdes, Kimbrough, Hall), 1:57.58; 2. C.R. Xavier, 1:59.27; 3. C.R. Prairie, 2:00.18; 1,500 — 1. Bailey Nock (ICW), 4:54.44; 2. Gabby Skopec (ICW), 5:07.46; 3. Hannah Fusselman (CRK), 5:10.35; 400 relay — 1. C.R. Jefferson (Bergmann, Ranschau, Anderson, Blue), 48.72; 2. C.R. Kennedy, 50.30; 3. Iowa City West, 52.50; 1,600 relay — 1. C.R. Jefferson (Anderson, Koenigsfeld, Belew, Blue), 3:58.81; 2. Dubuque Hempstead, 4:18.59; 3. Cedar Falls, 4:20.01.

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