Lisbon defends Class 1A boys’ state track championship

DES MOINES - A team state championship took Lisbon a bit by surprise a year ago.

This year proved it was no fluke and certainly didn't catch the Lions by surprise.

'I've been telling these guys all year I would put them up against any 1A school in the state and I think they proved that,” said Lisbon coach Casey Baxa. 'They showed me I was right. I can't ask for more.”

Lisbon led the field in the team race from start to finish and earned the Class 1A boys' team title with 52 points for its second-straight championship. Jesup was second with 40 points.

The Lions came into the 2016 season with another title on their minds, but didn't achieve it in the way they expected. Lisbon didn't record a state title in any event this season, but jumped out to an early lead in the team race Thursday with three second-place finishes.

'I think instead of having those few stud runners, we have solid runners all the way throughout that can get those little points instead of always just the big points,” said junior Jack Butteris, who won four medals during the three days.

Lisbon led the field by double-digit points in each day of the competition, but not getting any individual champions is something Baxa knows will add some fuel to the Lions' fire in 2017.

'I'm excited for next year already,” Baxa said. 'But we're going to savor this one for awhile and we'll get back to work in about five or six months.”

Jesup fell 12 points short of Lisbon for the team race, but got an event championship Saturday in the 1,600 relay in 3:26.23 with seniors Jacob Clark, Andrew Mattson, Brendan Murray and junior Ethan Wyant.

Wyant outlasted Mount Ayr anchor - and 800 meters champion - Kyle Dolecheck down the home stretch, hitting a late burst with less than 20 meters to go.

'I didn't want to lose,” Wyant said. 'I lost to him (Friday) and didn't want it to happen again.

STATE TRACK & FIELD MEET: CLASS 1A BOYS

Teams (top 10) - 1. Lisbon, 52; 2. Jesup, 40; 3. Audubon, 38; 4. Mount Ayr, 34; 5. Lawton-Bronson, 29; 6. Nishnabotna, 26; 7. Northwood-Kensett, 24; 8. Bishop Garrigan, 22; T-9. Hudson, 21; T-9. Highland, 21

Results (top 3, plus area)

800 - 1. Kyle Dolecheck (Mount Ayr), 1:57.15; 2. Jared Corder (Nodaway Valley), 1:59.03; 3. Carson Wright (Hudson), 1:59.15; 8. Danny Brennan (Lansing Kee), 2:02.57

Shuttle hurdle relay - 1. Audubon (J. Mulford, N. Smith, T. Riebhoff, M. Nelsen), 59.22; 2. Colo-Nesco, 1:00.56; 3. Bishop Garrigan, 1:00.60

100 - 1. Korby Sander (Belmond-Klemme), 11.31; 2. David Van Dyke (HM-Sanborn), 11.34; 3. Chad Blank (Nishnabotna), 11.32

110 hurdles - 1. Mitchell Nelsen (Audubon), 15.27; 2. William Parsley (Whiting), 15.08; 3. Bryce Achen (WACO), 15.77; 7. Jace Moore (Clayton Ridge), 15.79

200 - 1. Bryce Achen (WACO), 22.45; 2. Chad Blank (Nishnabotna), 22.49; 3. Jack Butteris (Lisbon), 22.54

1,600 - 1. Riley Bauer (North Union), 4:25.95; 2. Keiffer Sexton (Highland), 4:29.91; 3. Reid Smock (Lisbon), 4:33.90; 6. Sam Lorimer (Springville), 4:36.70; 7. Jacob Wessel (Edgewood-Colesburg), 4:36.87

400-relay - 1. Lawton-Bronson (A. Ashley, K. Hanks, Q. Sitzmann, A.J. Lefler), 43.34; 2. Jesup, 43.59; 3. Central Lyon, 44.06; 6. Montezuma, 44.63

1,600-relay - 1. Jesup (J. Clark, A. Mattson, B. Murray, E. Wyant), 3:26.23; 2. Mount Ayr, 3:26.47; 3. Lisbon (3:27.34)

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