Myles Bach earns Marion's first 3,200 title

DES MOINES — Myles Bach interrupted a postrace interview for a moment with his sister.

'I'm so proud of you,' Maddie Bach said, leaping tearfully into Myles' arms.

Bach became Marion's first boys' 3,200-meter state champion Thursday morning, bursting to the lead for good with three laps to go and taking the Class 3A title in 9:38.36 at Drake Stadium.

The last 50 meters was a straightaway of celebration, who pumped his fist as the finish line neared.

'With about 200 to go, I knew,' he said. 'I knew everybody else was too far (back). It was going to take a heck of an effort to catch me.'

Myles Bach is a sophomore. Maddie is a senior who had finished fourth in the girls' race a few minutes earlier.

'She's a best friend,' Myles said. 'I don't have many of them, but those you do have, you've got to keep them close.'

Bach dictated the race throughout, either leading or staying in contention throughout. At the 2,200 mark, he took over.

'I just wanted to see who would go with me,' he said. 'The sixth lap, I felt like I was in control.'

Mount Vernon earned titles from Tristan Wirfs in the discus and its 3,200-meter relay team and leads the team race through five events, with 25 points. Pella is second with 19, followed by Marion (15) and Vinton-Shellsburg (14).

Wirfs, a junior who has committed to the University of Iowa football program, unleashed a fling of 185 feet, 9 inches on his fourth attempt and won by more than 14 feet.

'It felt pretty awesome coming out of my hand,' Wirfs said.

Wirfs had the five best throws of the competition.

'I was kind of in a zone going into the finals,' he said.

In the 3,200 relay, third runner Jeremy Krogmann broke it open, and the Mustangs pulled away in a back-and-forth duel with Cedar Rapids Xavier. Mount Vernon was clocked in 8:00.01; the Saints in 8:03.24.

'We were just hoping one of us would be able to get (some separation),' Krogmann said.

Jack Cochrane and Zach Krogmann ran the first two legs for the Mustangs. Peyton Wilch anchored. Josh Gerke, Steven Culpepper, Beau Van Berkum and Nathan Skala ran for the Saints.

You've heard of playoff beards in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Thursday, both of the Krogmann brothers were sporting state 'staches.

'I've been working on mine since February 10th,' Zach Krogmann said. 'I tried last year, but as a sophomore, it didn't go so well.'

Center Point-Urbana had a swing of emotions after the 400-meter dash. He won his heat in 49.02 seconds, but Davenport Assumption's Will Ontiveros — the 2015 champion — ran 49.01 in Heat 2.

Ontiveros was disqualified for stepping on his lane line for four consecutive steps on the curve just past the 200-meter mark.

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Vinton-Shellsburg's Tyler Bartz was a close second behind Frost, in 49.05. Joel Barnes was third.

'I've been running against those guys all year,' Frost said. 'Tyler got out really good; so did Barnes. I knew I had to get going.'

STATE TRACK & FIELD MEET: CLASS 3A BOYS

Teams (through five events) — 1. Mount Vernon 25, 2. Pella 19, 3. Marion 15, 4. Vinton-Shellsburg 14, 5. North Polk 13, 6. (tie) Center Point-Urbana and Spencer 10, 8. Grinnell 9. 9. (tie) Cedar Rapids Xavier and Estherville ELC 8.

Results (top 3, plus area)

Discus — 1. Tristan Wirfs (Mount Vernon), 185-9; 2. Tyson Wassenaar (Pella), 171-3; 3. Austin Hill (Pella), 163-4; 5. Garrett Wise (Decorah), 159-9.

High jump — 1. Cameron Cantrell (Spencer), 6-8; 2. Grant Rampton (North Polk), 6-7; 3. J'Von Harris (Oskaloosa), 6-6; T-5. Matthew Roeder (Solon) and Blair Brooks (Marion), 6-3.

3,200 — 1. Myles Bach (Marion), 9:38.36; 2. Nic Peters (Estherville ELC), 9:41.07; 3. Jackson Schulte (Grinnell), 9:45.68; 4. Jack Young (Mount Vernon), 9:50.43; 7. Jeremy Fopma (Marion), 10:00.70.

3,200 relay — 1. Mount Vernon (Cochrane, Z.Krogmann, J.Krogmann, Wilch), 8:00.01; 2. Cedar Rapids Xavier, 8:03.24; 3. Dallas Center-Grimes, 8:07.31; 5. Solon, 8:12.84.

400 — 1. JoJo Frost (Center Point-Urbana), 49.02; 2. Tyler Bartz (Vinton-Shellsburg), 49.05; 3. Joel Barnes (Vinton-Shellsburg), 49.68.

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