Linn-Mar's Jenks: One down ...

RESULTSFORT DODGE -- She came. She ran. She savored.Stephanie Jenks of Linn-Mar capped an undefeated freshman season with a Class 4A championship at the state cross country meet Saturday morning. Her time of 13:42 ranks No. 4 all-time at the 4,000-meter distance."My mom told me to come here, have fun and enjoy myself, so that's what I did," Jenks said.Jenks took control of the race shortly after the gun went off, winning by 18 seconds over runner-up Ashlynn Yokom of Iowa City West."I knew she was behind me," said Jenks, who ran the first mile in 5:16 and had a 14-second cushion at the mile mark. "I could hear (some of the spectators) yelling, 'Go Ash, go!' "Jenks' title highlighted a strong day for Linn-Mar. The girls were 4A runners-up; the boys finished third.Pleasant Valley captured the girls' crown with 49 points. Linn-Mar was next with 93, with Johnston edging Cedar Rapids Kennedy, 156-157, for the third-place trophy.Led by individual champ Jason Thomas, West Des Moines Dowling won its second straight boys' crown with 60 points. Pleasant Valley was second with 111 points, followed by Linn-Mar (120) and Iowa City West (135).The pre-race favorite, Jenks didn't fret Saturday about those she was about to run against."I don't really think about the competition as long as I get a good time," she said. "I'm happy."Amber Decker, another freshman, was 10th for Linn-Mar. Kennedy's Alyssa Averhoff was eighth.Yokom passed Dowling's Karissa Schweizer in the final half-mile to finish second in 14:00."The last 800, I knew I had to go fast," Yokom said. "I wanted to get (Jenks). I always want to get her. You don't want to settle for anything less than first place. But this is state, you know it's going to be a fast pace, and I'm pretty happy."Thomas emerged from a pack of seven in the final portion of the race and won in 14:51, the first boy to run a sub-15 5K at Lakeside.Brook Price of Iowa City High was fourth in 15:02; Isaac Jensen of Iowa City West was fifth in 15:06."I ran a really tough race, but I wish I had a little more at the end," Price said. "At the end, it came down to the kick, and they had a little more."Last year's runner-up, Josh Evans of Linn-Mar was ninth. He battled injury through the end of the season, but gutted out a strong effort Saturday."I didn't see that time (15:12) coming," Evans said. "I was praying that I could give 100 percent, and that's what I came in and did."