Kammerer charges to 3,000 title

DES MOINES - Instead of celebrating, Adriana Kammerer consoled.

'I feel awful for her,” the Iowa City Regina senior said of Osage freshman Ellie Friesen, who she passed in the final 20 meters of the Class 2A girls' 3,000-meter run at the state track and field meet Thursday morning at Drake Stadium. 'She had pushed so hard.”

Kammerer tracked down a wobbly Friesen and earned the title in 10 minutes, 33.39 seconds.

After it was over, Kammerer and Osage's Megan Mooberry hovered over Friesen, trying to help her back to her feet. Then, after meeting with the media, Kammerer again sought out Friesen, who was being tended to in a golf cart.

Had the race been 2,950 meters rather than 3,000, Friesen would have won comfortably. But she locked up down the stretch, fell twice, then staggered to the line as Kammerer, then Mooberry, ran by.

'I seemed to have been closing the gap,” said Kammerer, who admitted that she thought she was racing Mooberry for second in the final lap. 'I saw her start to stumble and figured, this is when I need to go.”

Kammerer has dealt with her own bad luck. She was part of the Regina cross country team that was disqualified from postseason competition last fall when the team ran on the regional course days before the meet.

'That was awful,” said Kammerer, who has been battling a bruised right femur recently. 'But we got through it together, and it really motivated me in track.

'I'm really happy. It was my final 3,000, and it's my favorite race.”

Mount Vernon took its first step toward making a rap queen out of Coach Maggie Willems, capturing the 3,200-meter relay. Maren Jeppson, Maggie Davis, Faith Anton and Emma Cochrane won it in 9:35.92.

'Coach told us she would rap for us if we finish in the top two in the team race,” said Davis, who gave the Mustangs the lead for good with a strong second leg.

The song of choice: 'La Di Da Di,” by Snoop Dogg.

Cochrane answered a charge by Cascade anchor Rebecca McDermott, then won going away. Cascade was second in 9:40.92; Monticello was third in 9:45.00.

'I felt (McDermott) coming,” Cochrane said. 'With about 300 meters to go, I really tried to lift my knees and pull my arms and make sure nobody got me.”

Mount Vernon leads the 2A race through five events, with 15 points. Cascade and Osage have 14 apiece.

Jasmine Staebler of Clayton Ridge was denied a fourth consecutive 400 title. Natalie Halfman of Saint Ansgar breezed through it in 54.65 seconds. Staebler was second in 57.01.

'(Halfman) has improved so much,” Staebler said. 'She really has taken it to the next level. My time could have been a little better, but she did really well. That's crazy.”

Cascade freshman Brittany Koppes was third in the long jump.

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