Jefferson wins 4th straight 800 relay

DES MOINES — From Bronco to Blue, nobody in Iowa has done the girls' 800-meter relay like Cedar Rapids Jefferson.

The J-Hawks captured the event for the fourth straight year — and Jasmine Blue has been a part of all of them — with an effort of 1:40.24 at the state track and field meet Friday afternoon at Drake Stadium.

'My first year here as a freshman, I didn't know a thing,' Blue said. 'I've grown a lot. I've become a leader.'

Abilene Ranschau, MiAsia Bergmann, Autumn Anderson and Blue controlled the race, just as the J-Hawks have done every year since 2013. It ranks No. 2 all-time in Iowa; their state effort of 1:39.24 at last year's state meet is No. 1.

No bones about it, this is their signature event. It was in the days of Rachel 'Bronco' Broghammer and Taylor Jacobson, throughout the career of Lucy Schneekloth.

Now it's Blue and Ranschau, both of whom will run at the University of Northern Iowa, carrying the torch and about to pass it on.

'It won't stop just because we leave,' Blue said.

Not as long as Bill Calloway sticks around to coach what Blue calls 'sprint stamina.'

Said Ranschau, a three-time champion in the event: 'Calloway knows how to turn girls into 200 runners.'

Urbandale is the 4A girls team leader as the meet shifts to the final nine events Saturday. Urbandale has 42 points, ahead of Waukee (35) and Iowa City West (33). Defending champion Pleasant Valley has 30 points, as does Linn-Mar.

• 4A BOYS: Clutch throw sends Kennedy's Jacobus out a winner

Jefferson might be in for a big day Saturday. The J-Hawks are top seeds in the 400- and 1,600-meter relay, as well as the sprint medley. Ranschau is seeded second in the 100 hurdles.

Third-place finishes by Valerie Welch (400 hurdles and long jump) and Chandler Haight (shot put) pushed West up the leader board.

Welch wasn't particularly impressed with herself.

'I've jumped better than I did today,' she said. 'I just felt really tired. It might have been a mental thing.'

Welch's best jump was 18 feet, 2 3/4 inches, which was five inches behind champion Darby Thomas of Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln, a freshman. She was clocked in 1:03.29 in the 400 hurdles.

Haight threw 41-3 in the shot.

STATE TRACK & FIELD: CLASS 4A GIRLS

Teams (top 10) — 1. Urbandale 42, 2. Waukee 35, 3. Iowa City West 33, 4. (tie) Linn-Mar and Pleasant Valley 30, 6. Clinton 25, 7. Muscatine 21, 8. Ames 20.5, 9. Ankeny Centennial 18, 10. Indianola 16.

Results (top 3, plus area)

Shot put — 1. Erika Hammond (Clinton), 47-1 1/2*; 2. Anna Hoyman (Indianola), 41-11; 3. Chandler Haight (Iowa City West), 41-3; 5. Allison Tucker (Western Dubuque), 40-7 1/2; 7. Zainab Makky (Iowa City West), 40-5 1/4.

Long jump — 1. Darby Thomas (Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln), 18-7 3/4; 2. Kenna Sauer (Ankeny Centennial), 18-4 3/4; 3. Valerie Welch (Iowa City West), 18-2 3/4.

Distance medley relay — 1. Ankeny Centennial (Reysack, Saddoris, Draayer, Gray), 4:05.21; 2. Waukee, 4:05.25; 3. Urbandale, 4:08.28; 6. Iowa City West, 4:12.16.

800 relay — 1. Cedar Rapids Jefferson (Ranschau, Bergmann, Anderson, Blue), 1:40.24; 2. Waukee, 1:41.01; 3. Southeast Polk, 1:41.22.

400 hurdles — 1. Carly Donahue (Pleasant Valley), 1:01.35; 2. Skyler Shellmyer (Urbandale), 1:03.12; 3. Valerie Welch (Iowa City West), 1:03.29; 6. Stephanie Jenks (Linn-Mar), 1:06.05.

*4A state-meet record

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