Monticello relay makes big statement for a small school

DES MOINES - Ben Ahlrichs struggled to contain his emotions. He knew.

'When Matt (Manternach) was pulling away, I looked at Michael (Melchert) and said, ‘You got this,'” Ahlrichs said. 'I almost had tears rushing down my face.”

This one was for the small schools.

After coming up just short a year ago, Monticello finished the deal in the Drake Relays boys' 3,200-meter relay Saturday at Drake Stadium. Ahlrichs, Nick Meyers, Manternach and Melchert prevailed in 7 minutes, 51.46 seconds.

'This is really nice,” Melchert said. 'The bigger schools, they have more kids and better facilities. But we feel like we can compete with anybody.”

Monticello is heavily favored to come back here in four weeks and run away with another Class 2A team title. This was the Panthers' opportunity to make a statewide statement, and they did.

'The really big schools, they can choose four runners out of 2,000 kids. We're four of about 350,” Ahlrichs said.

They were the best foursome. Linn-Mar was second in 7:52.62. Ames third in 7:52.75.

Monticello was at or near the front the whole way, with Manternach giving the Panthers a solid lead late in his third leg.

'I just wanted to get the lead for Michael. I wanted to do my part and run my race,” Manternach said.

The rest was up to Melchert.

Ames anchor Atem Akok made a push and drew even with Melchert with about 200 to go, but Melchert hadn't yet tapped into his energy reservoir.

'I was able to go out conservatively. I figured (Akok) had used all his energy, so I gave everything I had at the end,” Melchert said.

Small-school individuals shine regularly at Drake, but it's rare for a school of Monticello's size to capture a relay. The Panthers were second to Iowa City West last year, but the window had not closed on the Panthers' opportunity for glory.

'Our work isn't done; we still have the state meet,” Melchert said. 'But, yeah, this is huge.”

Linn-Mar's Josh Evans capped an exceptional weekend, sprinting past Boone's Albert Meier down the stretch of the 1,600-meter run and reversing the outcome of Thursday's 3,200. Evans was clocked in a Drake-record 4:10.76.

'After Thursday, I just thought that I couldn't let him pull away again,” Evans said. 'I really focused on his shoulder blades.”

Evans finished the weekend with two titles (1,600, medley relay) and two seconds (3,200, 3,200 relay).

'I'm going to take (Sunday) completely off,” he said. 'And I'll have an easy practice Monday.”

Bryson Runge brought Iowa City High from behind in the 400 relay, and the Little Hawks (42.36 seconds) upset top-seeded Waukee (42.38).

'I got the baton and tried to do everything I could to catch him,” Runge said. 'I heard (third runner Kole Butler) yell, ‘Go get that Drake flag,' and that set me off.”

Chuck Riley and Cory Lindsey ran the first two legs for the Little Hawks. Cedar Rapids Kennedy was third in 42.91 seconds.

Albia, a school roughly the same size as Monticello, conquered the big schools in the 1,600 relay, taking it by 2 1/2 seconds in 3:18.90.

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