West Branch's Cooper Koenig leaps to Drake long jump title

DES MOINES — Cooper Koenig made the leap of his life. Then he did it again.

But his best jumps, he said, lie in the future.

'This isn't the ceiling for me,' the West Branch senior said after capturing the Drake Relays boys' long jump championship Thursday at Drake Stadium. 'I know I can go farther.'

Koenig sailed 23 feet, 4 1/2 inches to earn the title. He took the lead with an effort of 22-10 1/4 — a career high — on his second jump of the preliminary round, then surpassed it with his second-to-last jump in the finals.

Good thing, because Dubuque Senior's Deangelo Jackson went 22-10 3/4 on his final attempt.

'It was a high level of competition. It really pushed me,' said Koenig, who will compete at the University of Iowa next year. 'But you just have to focus on what you can do, compare it to yourself. That's all you can do.'

It wasn't a great day to jump, about 55 degrees and windy. But Koenig made the best of it, and earned the right to celebrate.

'I'm excited for myself, to hold the (championship) flag,' he said. 'But when I get to celebrate with my family later tonight, that will be twice as special.'

Tristan Wirfs of Mount Vernon was second to Northwood-Kensett's Tom Yezek in the discus. Wirfs' first throw was his best one — 181 feet. Yezek passed him on throw No. 2 at 181-3, and that's how it stayed throughout the competition.

A junior who has committed to play football at the University of Iowa, Wirfs came into Drake with a career-best of 169-1. He surpassed that four times Thursday.

'It felt good coming out of my hand,' said Wirfs, who was seeded ninth coming into the competition. 'It sailed pretty good. That first throw, I didn't know it was going to be that far.

'Now I'm really excited about the shot (put, Friday morning). I'm ready to come out and pop one.'

Cedar Rapids Kennedy's Shaun Beyer was fourth in the long jump at 22-4; Kennedy's Dalles Jacobus (163-8) and Jackson Coker (160-10) were fifth and seventh in the discus.

Shortly after schoolmate McKenzie Yanek upset Linn-Mar's Stephanie Jenks in the girls' 3,000, Pleasant Valley's Karson Sommer led from wire to wire and captured the boys' 3,200 in 9:13.98. Cedar Falls' Sam Schillinger and Isaac Smith were 2-3.

Ryan Murphy of Linn-Mar was fifth in 9:22.77.

DRAKE RELAYS: THURSDAY'S BOYS RESULTS

Long jump — 1. Cooper Koenig (West Branch), 23-4 1/2; 2. Deangelo Jackson (Dubuque Senior), 22-10 3/4; 3. Xavior Williams (WB-ND), 22-9; 4. Shaun Beyer (Cedar Rapids Kennedy), 22-4; 5. Chase Van Sant (Pella), 21-11 3/4; 6. Kevin Kurth (Davenport Central), 21-10 3/4; 7. Marcus Klein (Harlan), 21-8; 8. Jovonte Squiers (Lone Tree), 21-3.

Discus — 1. Tom Yezek (Northwood-Kensett), 181-3; 2. Tristan Wirfs (Mount Vernon), 181-0; 3. Nick Phelps (KP-WC), 173-8; 4. Alex Bechtold (Stanton), 169-10; 5. Dalles Jacobus (Cedar Rapids Kennedy), 163-8; 6. Cole Webster (Bettendorf), 161-9; 7. Jackson Coker (Cedar Rapids Kennedy), 160-10; 8. Coy Kirkpatrick (Madrid), 159-0.

3,200 — 1. Karson Sommer (Pleasant Valley), 9:13.98; 2. Sam Schillinger (Cedar Falls), 9:18.15; 3. Isaac Smith (Cedar Falls), 9:18.52; 4. Patrick Bose (Johnston), 9:19.29; 5. Ryan Murphy (Linn-Mar), 9:22.77; 6. C.J. May (Aplington-Parkersburg), 9:25.78; 7. Mark Whalen (Dubuque Senior), 9:32.16; 8. Cole Schroeder (Burlington), 9:37.12.

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