Perry's toughness leads to MVC divisional title

CEDAR RAPIDS – Linn-Mar's Rachel Perry has battled longer and come much further than the minute and 400 meters it took to reclaim conference gold.

Perry captured the 400 title and contributed to two runner-up relays for the Lions at the Mississippi Valley Conference Valley Division meet Thursday night at Kingston Stadium. Linn-Mar was second in the team race with 127 ½ points, finishing 26 ½ back of champion Dubuque Wahlert.

Perry, a senior, placed fifth in the 400 at the 2012 state meet after conference and district titles. Last season was plagued with hardship, fighting through pneumonia and other breathing issues.

'It's nice to be back close to where I was two years ago,' Perry said. 'I'm looking forward to the state meet. I've been working really hard.'

Linn-Mar's Amber Decker was the defending division 400 champion. Decker and Perry entered the meet with the division's top times. Decker led most of the race, but with Perry and Wahlert's Katy Fricano closing fast on the final straight-away, Decker stumbled and fell. Perry broke the tape in 58.93 seconds.

'It would have been interesting had Amber been able to finish the 400,' said Linn-Mar Coach Nathan Hopp, noting that Decker will return to action next week despite not finishing her scheduled events Thursday night. 'Rachel had a great finish in the 400.'

The time was her best this season, nearing her best times as a sophomore. Perry also closed strong as the anchor on the sprint medley and 1,600 relays. She may have been pleased with her performance but she was far from satisfied.

'I can do a lot better, I know,' Perry said. 'Just one thing at a time.'

She clutched her throat after the finish of the sprint medley, recovering from a solid effort. It almost serves as a reminder of the strides she has made from a year ago.

'I still have a lot of work to do,' Perry said. 'I'm just grateful to be able to make progress.'

Hopp said Perry is mentally strong and willing to do whatever it takes to help the Lions succeed. She has made an equal impact in individual events and relays.

'This year, being her last year, she's really dedicated herself to finishing strong,' Hopp said. 'She's doing it for herself and her team. She has come on strong. She has been a valuable person for us.'

Linn-Mar received a huge boost from sophomore Stephanie Jenks, who was named MVC Valley Division Athlete of the Year. She dominated her way to victories in distance events. Jenks cruised to 24-second win in the 3,000, crossing the finish line in 11:01.10. In the 1,500, she came in at 4:54.84, winning by almost 14 seconds. Jenks was also first in the 800 (2:14.28).

The Lions rolled to the 3,200 relay title. Maddie Saville, Ally Hicks, Hanna Saville and Morgan Garcia teamed for a time of 9:58.26.

'The team has been working really hard this year,' Perry said. 'I think that is showing.'

Cedar Rapids Prairie finished fourth overall. The Hawks soared in the field events, taking the top two spots in both the high jump and the long jump.Prairie's Halle Lueck won her second straight division title in the long jump, posting a 17-feet, 5-inch effort. Teammate Lexi Thurmann was second at 16'4.

The Hawks' Kenzie Soeken and Hannah Grimm placed first and second, respectively, in the high jump. Soeken cleared the bar at 5'0 and Grimm maxed out at 4'10. Soeken and Grimm teamed with Hailee Montgomery and Alexa Martin to win the sprint medley relay in a time of 1:51.76.

Cedar Rapids Washington crowned two champions. Senior Kadejah claimed the 100-dash title in a time of 13.02, edging Cedar Falls' Alicia Harrington by .04 seconds. Warriors' freshman Amara Taylor was first in the 400-hurdles championship, recording a time of 1:07.29.

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY CONFERENCE VALLEY DIVISION MEET

At Kingston Stadium

Teams – 1. Dubuque Wahlert 154, 2. Linn-Mar 127 ½, 3. Cedar Falls 101, 4. C.R. Prairie 94, 5. C.R. Washington 70, 6. Waterloo West 30, 7. C.R. Xavier 10 1/2.

Final results

Shot put – 1. Blaire Thomas (WW), 40-0 1/2; 2. Lannie Nietert (LM), 39-10 3/4; 3. Allison Griffin (CF), 38-11 3/4; Discus – 1. Maddie Nilles (DW), 134-8; 2. Griffin (CF), 123-8 1/2; 3. Annie Rollins (DW), 119-3 1/2; High jump – 1. Kenzie Soeken (CRP), 5-0; 2. Hannah Grimm (CRP), 4-10; 3. (tie) Elizabeth Mason (CF), Ella Pannkuk (LM), and Alexis Glaser (DW), 4-6; Long jump – 1. Halle Lueck (CRP), 17-5; 2. Lexi Thumann (CRP), 16-4; 3. Elizabeth Welu (DW), 16-4.3,000 – 1. Stephanie Jenks (LM), 11:01.10; 2. Sydney Johnston (LM), 11:25.41; 3. Jade Romagna (DW), 11:56.72; 3,200 relay – 1. Linn-Mar (Maddie Saville, Ally Hicks, Hanna Saville, Morgan Garcia), 9:58.26; 2. Dubuque Wahlert 10:05.50; 3. Cedar Falls 10:19.15; Shuttle hurdle relay – 1. Dubuque Wahlert (Bailey Vance, Jessica Ward, Mary McAllister, Welu), 1:08.50; 2. Cedar Falls 1:08.53; 3. C.R. Prairie 1:09.29; 100 – 1. Kadejah Sanders (CRW), 13.02; 2. Alicia Harrington (CF), 13.06; 3. Mariah Ward (CRW), 13.26; Distance medley – 1. Dubuque Wahlert (Ward, Anna Gall, Betsy Duehr, Maddie Heiar), 4:17.49; 2. C.R. Washington 4:23.35; 3. Linn-Mar 4:33.58; 400 – 1. Rachel Perry (LM), 58.93; 2. Katy Fricano (DW), 59.12; 3. Haley Puk (WW), 1:01.67; 800 relay – 1. Cedar Falls (Kaz Brown, Symone Robinson, Morgan DeMuth, Harrington), 1:48.15; 2. C.R. Washington 1:49.83; 3. C.R. Prairie 1:50.20; 100 hurdles – 1. Elizabeth Welu (DW), 15.65; 2. Hailee Montgomery (CRP), 16.43; 3. Bailey Vance (DW), 16.70; 800 – 1. Jenks (LM), 2:14.28; 2. Duehr (DW), 2:25.36; 3. Emily Moes (DW), 2:25.63; 200 - 1. Laura Sherman (DW), 26.64; 2. Harrington (CF), 26.98; 3. Fricano (DW), 27.27; 400 hurdles - 1. Amara Taylor (CRW), 1:07.29; 2. Dana Sublett (LM), 1:10.99; 3. Jaclyn Simons (LM), 1:12.58; Sprint medley relay – 1. C.R. Prairie (Montgomery, Alexa Martin, Soeken, Grimm), 1:51.76; 2. Linn-Mar 1:52.39; 3. Dubuque Wahlert 1:53.04; 1,500 – 1. Jenks (LM), 4:54.84; 2. Shannon Gorman (CRW), 5:08.51; 3. Cassidy Christopher (CF), 5:12.74; 400 relay – 1. Dubuque Wahlert (Brittany Allendorf, Laura Sherman, Allie Osterberger, Welu), 50.37; 2. C.R. Washington 50.82; 3. C.R. Prairie 51.05; 1,600 relay – 1. Dubuque Wahlert (Duehr, Heiar, Kelly Boge, Fricano), 4:02.25; 2. Linn-Mar 4:10.94; 3. Cedar Falls 4:!3.07.MVC Valley Athlete of the Year - Jenks (Linn-Mar)MVC Valley Coaching staff of the Year - Dubuque Wahlert's Tim Berning and staff