Ryan Murphy, Jackson Coker earn state gold

DES MOINES — Speedwork hadn't been the focus of Ryan Murphy's late-season training.

You sure couldn't tell.

A senior at Linn-Mar, Murphy ran down Johnston's Patrick Bose to win the Class 4A boys' 3,200-meter run at the state track and field meet Thursday morning at Drake Stadium.

Murphy ran the final lap in 59.5 seconds and completed the race in 9:09.28. Bose was next in 9:09.96.

'I was just trying to be smart when Patrick went by us (with just under 400 meters to go),' said Murphy, a University of Arkansas recruit. 'I stayed calm, and turned it into the next gear with 150 to go.'

Murphy was edged by Sam Schillinger of Cedar Falls in the Drake Relays 3,200, then turned the tables in the 1,600.

'I didn't really like the attention that came with that,' he said. 'This was the meet I've been aiming for.'

A group of four — Murphy, Bose, Schillinger and West's Kolby Greiner — separated itself from the pack midway through the race. Bose sprinted to the lead early in the final lap, then Murphy began to chase on the backstretch. He passed Bose with about 50 meters left.

'I knew he had made his last move,' Murphy said. 'I had to be patient.'

Greiner was third in 9:13.35.

Waukee and West Des Moines Valley share the lead in the 4A boys' team race. Both teams have 27 points with five events completed.

Linn-Mar is fourth with 15 points; Iowa City West is fifth with 14.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy's Jackson Coker repeated as the discus champion, flinging it 174 feet, 5 inches. On cue, he wasn't overly impressed with the effort.

'I didn't compete my best, but I did just enough,' he said. 'I really wanted to throw 190 feet.

'I've put on some more weight, and that's made it harder with my speed (in the ring).'

Coker was asked what it would take in Friday's shot put to warrant a smile.

'I really want to throw 65 feet,' he said. 'That would make me happy.'

STATE TRACK & FIELD: 4A BOYS

Teams (through 5 events) — 1. (tie) Waukee and West Des Moines Valley 27, 3. Bettendorf 18, 4. Linn-Mar 15, 5. Iowa City West 14, 6. Cedar Falls 13, 7. Pleasant Valley 11, 8. (tie) Ames, Cedar Rapids Kennedy and Urbandale 10.

Results (top 3 plus other area placewinners)

High jump — 1. Chuol Chuol (Ames), 6-5; 2. (tie) Trayvon Williams (West Des Moines Valley) and Owen Minshall (Waukee), 6-5; 4. (tie) Jared Sams-Merriwether (Iowa City West) and Marty Borseth (Cedar Rapids Prairie), 6-2.

Discus — 1. Jackson Coker (Cedar Rapids Kennedy), 174-5; 2. Bedale Naba (West Des Moines Valley), 171-11; 3. Ross Secaur (Urbandale), 163-10; 4. Riley Higgins (Linn-Mar), 162-0.

3,200 — 1. Ryan Murphy (Linn-Mar), 9:09.28; 2. Patrick Bose (Johnston), 9:09.96; 3. Kolby Greiner (Iowa City West), 9:13.35; 5. Ali Ali (Iowa City West), 9:24.33.

3,200 relay — 1. Waukee (Doty, Modlin, Groathouse, Andrews), 7:49.34; 2. Cedar Falls, 7:50.63; 3. West Des Moines Dowling, 7:52.38; 7. Iowa City High, 8:00.11.

400 — 1. Darien Porter (Bettendorf), 48.24; 2. Josh Andrews (Waukee), 48.64; 3. KeShaun Baker (Pleasant Valley), 48.91.

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