Marion and Mount Vernon: Still too close to call

DES MOINES — It still too close to call, far too early to declare this race.

Marion and Mount Vernon distanced themselves from the pack in the Class 3A boys' competition at the state track and field meet. And they remain stuck together like duct tape.

Ten events down, nine events to go. It's Marion 42, Mount Vernon 41. A winner will be decided Saturday afternoon.

Mount Vernon's Tristan Wirfs concluded a brilliant throwing career by winning the shot put. Marion's Blair Brooks won the long jump. The Mustangs were second in the distance medley relay. The Indians were third in the 800-meter relay.

Back and forth they go.

'We've got a lot of work yet to do,' Brooks said.

Brooks and Wirfs combined to sweep the 3A boys' field events. A junior, Brooks sailed 22 feet 7 1/2 inches to add to his gold collection (he won the high jump Thursday).

'A lot of it is routine, mental visualization,' Brooks said. 'I visualize myself going off the board, over a hurdle or over the bar. Then I go out and do it.'

A University of Iowa football recruit, Wirfs won his fifth state title with an effort of 63 feet, 4 1/2 inches in the shot put. It was 7 1/2 feet farther than anyone else in 3A threw, but it wasn't enough to completely satisfy the big fella.

'I'm kind of disappointed in myself.' he said. 'I know I can do better. I'm kind of let down.'

Wirfs won three discus championships and two shot put titles. He has to be considered one of the state's best of all time.

'There have been some good throwers that have come out of Iowa, and I'm happy to be up there with them,' he said. 'It's a little bittersweet that it's ending.'

Mount Vernon ran second to DeWitt Central in the distance medley. The Mustangs were clocked in 3:34.16, behind DeWitt Central (3:33.26). Decorah was third.

Marion finished the 800 relay in 1:30.48, behind Dallas Center-Grimes and West Burlington-Notre Dame.

Tyler Linderbaum of Solon was third in the shot put.

JoJo Frost of Center Point-Urbana was the first to cross the finish line in the 400 hurdles (52.85). But the University of Iowa signee was disqualified; he was ruled to have jumped around the sixth hurdle with his lead leg.

STATE TRACK & FIELD: 3A BOYS

Teams (through 10 events) — 1. Marion 42, 2. Mount Vernon 41, 3. (tie) Sergeant Bluff-Luton and Carlisle 21, 5. (tie) Boone and Mount Pleasant 20, 7. Dallas Center-Grimes 18, 8. Gilbert 17, 9. Oskaloosa 14.75, 10. (tie) DeWitt Central and Glenwood 13.

Results (top 3 and area placewinners)

Long jump — 1. Blair Brooks (Marion), 22-7 1/2; 2. Trey Washington (Dallas Center-Grimes), 22-3; 3. Nick Foss (Harlan), 21-11 1/2;

800 relay — 1, Dallas Center-Grimes (Madsen, Erickson, Washington, Bertrand), 1:29.82; 2. West Burlington-Notre Dame, 1:30.30; 3. Marion, 1:30.48; 7. Benton Community, 1:32.15.

Shot put — 1. Tristan Wirfs (Mount Vernon), 63-4 1/2; 2. Dominick Etherington (Algona), 55-10 3/4; 3. Tyler Linderbaum (Solon), 53-11 1/4; 6. Andy Lillegraven (Decorah), 51-2; 7. Coal Flansburg (Solon), 50-8 1/2; 8. Drew Wiley (Vinton-Shellsburg), 50-7 1/4.

400 hurdles — 1. Dallas Wright (Carlisle), 53.20; 2. Devan Baldus (Boone), 54.30; 3. Avery Van Zee (Pella), 54.89.

Distance medley relay — 1. DeWitt Central (Ellison, Smith, Boesch, DeHaan), 3:33.26; 2. Mount Vernon, 3:34.16; 3. Decorah, 3:36.13.

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