Jefferson boys are speedy, too

CEDAR RAPIDS -- Ron Tower is a track coach who used a track analogy.

"I think we're turning a corner," said Tower, whose boys from Cedar Rapids Jefferson were runners-up in the 800-meter relay last week at the Drake Relays.

Jacob Beaton, Nate Karlan, Dan Larson and Dylan Chittick ran it in 1:28.56, breaking a school record that had stood since 1981.

Waukee won it in 1:27.81.

You think sprinting success at Jefferson, you automatically think about the girls, who set an all-time Iowa best in the 800 relay at last year's state meet and were second in three events at Drake.

Now, the boys are catching on.

"The guys see the things the girls are doing, the success they're having, and it drives them, too," Tower said. "The boys have always worked hard, but you can't do it without talent. Now they have the talent."

Some of that talent is natural. Some of it is developed.

'We've always been decent, but this year, we've really pulled ahead,' Karlan said. 'Our Performance PE and lifting program in the offseason has made a big difference.'

Tower called Jefferson's Performance PE "a great addition. It's not like the boys hadn't lifted in the past. Now, they're doing it year-round, during the school day, every term and throughout the summer."

The J-Hawks were close to breaking through last year, but Karlan was sidelined a week before Drake with a hamstring injury and couldn't make it all the way back before state.

So it makes sense that to Tower, "the No. 1 goal the next few weeks is to stay healthy."

Jefferson's stretch run begins next Thursday with the MVC divisional meet. Then it's districts May 15 and the state meet May 22-24.

"The kids want to win that 4-by-2 at state, but they know there's a pretty big gap between us and Waukee," Tower said. "If they falter, we want to be the ones that take advantage."

KEEPING SCORE AT DRAKE

Unlike the University Division, which now provides for the Hy-Vee Cup, team scores are not kept for the high school divisions at the Drake Relays.

If they had been, the boys from Waukee and the girls from Davenport Assumption would have been crowned.

Using the same scoring system implemented for the state meet, Waukee would have scored 48 points, followed by Linn-Mar (42). Johnston, Monticello and West Des Moines Dowling would have scored 31 apiece to tie for third.

Waukee captured the 800-meter relay and shuttle hurdle relay while Linn-Mar got titles from Josh Evans in the 1,600-meter run and its 1,600-meter medley relay.The winner of four relays (400, 800, 3,200 and sprint medley), Assumption would have scored 48 points to edge Waukee (45), Pleasant Valley (43) and Urbandale (42) in the girls' race.