A look at Thursday’s area conference track and field meets

A Solon sweep?

The numbers lean in that direction.

Reigning Class 3A state champion Solon is a significant favorite to claim another Wamac Conference girls’ track and field championship Thursday at Manchester. The meet kicks off at 4 p.m.

The boys could make it a complete Sparty party, but will receive a challenge from Highway 1 rival Mount Vernon.

The Gazette’s “core four” conferences — the Mississippi Valley, Wamac, River Valley and Tri-Rivers — all will conduct their track and field championships Thursday throughout the area.

The MVC splits into four meets (Mississippi and Valley; boys and girls) at four different sites. The other three leagues will conduct “super” meets, with boys’ and girls’ competitions at the same site.

Here is a form chart for each of Thursday’s area meets:

MVC Mississippi Division

GIRLS (4:30 p.m., at Dubuque)

Expect a four-team title chase among Iowa City Liberty, Cedar Falls, Dubuque Wahlert and Cedar Rapids Prairie. With Jolie Nordell in the throws and Jasmine Barney the favored long jumper, Liberty has an edge in the field events, and that might be enough to vault the Lightning to the top. Cedar Falls has the most depth, and Wahlert has an unrivaled duo in sprinters Rylee Steffen and Meghan McDonald.

Projected leaders: Iowa City Liberty 157, Cedar Falls 136, Dubuque Wahlert 131, Cedar Rapids Prairie 117.

BOYS (4:30 p.m., at Kingston Stadium)

Cedar Falls is a team with no glaring weakness and depth aplenty, so the Tigers are the favorites in this division. Expect them to double-score in all (or nearly all) individual events, and they’ll shine in the relays. Freshman Jaden Merrick already is an excellent distance runner, and the Tigers could run 1-2 in both the 1,600 and 3,200. The relays that Cedar Falls doesn’t win, Cedar Rapids Prairie might. The Hawks are top-three seeds in all seven of them.

Projected leaders: Cedar Falls 190, Cedar Rapids Prairie 156, Iowa City Liberty 100, Dubuque Senior 94.

MVC Valley Division

GIRLS (4:30 p.m., at Iowa City West)

Don’t be surprised if Linn-Mar scores in excess of 60 points in the field events, and that early momentum should help carry the Lions to the title. Linn-Mar is seeded to go 1-2 in both the discus and long jump, 2-3 in the high jump and 1-3 in the shot put. Led by the Swartzendruber twins, Cedar Rapids Kennedy is a slight pick over Iowa City High for second place. The twins were instrumental in the Cougars’ Drake Relays titles in the sprint medley and 1,600-meter relays.

Projected leaders: Linn-Mar 156, Cedar Rapids Kennedy 126, Iowa City High 123, Dubuque Hempstead 106.

BOYS (4:30 p.m., at Iowa City High)

The talent level in this meet is staggering. Five teams in the Valley Division cashed in with Drake Relays flags last week, including Cedar Rapids Washington, whose Miles Thompson was the Most Outstanding performer among the boys. Three of the state’s top Class 4A teams — Iowa City High, Iowa City West and Linn-Mar — are in this division and all are capable of winning it Thursday under the right circumstances. Give a slight edge to the Little Hawks due to their distance wealth.

Projected leaders: Iowa City High 151, Iowa City West 132, Linn-Mar 129, Cedar Rapids Kennedy 89.

Wamac Conference

(4 p.m., at Manchester)

GIRLS

Solon sprinted away from the Wamac field last year, scoring 180 points and winning by 90. Don’t expect a runaway of that magnitude again, mainly because Mount Vernon has elevated its game. Still, the Spartans are top seeded in 12 events, including six relays (all but the distance medley), including a third-place Drake Relays shuttle. Mount Vernon should be on the Spartans’ heels on all of those relays. Center Point-Urbana might have the highest scoring field-event crew.

Projected leaders: Solon 193, Mount Vernon 146, Clear Creek Amana 82, Marion 73.

BOYS

Mount Vernon has the best team on the track, but Solon’s field-event prowess might be too much for anybody to overcome. The Spartans had two Drake Relays finalists in the discus (Adam Smith and Ben Kampman), and are salty in the sprints. Mount Vernon counters with an unmatched middle-distance crew; the Mustangs very nearly won the Drake Relays 1,600-meter relay, and are seeded No. 1 in six relays. Marion, Williamsburg and defending champion Clear Creek Amana lead the race for third place.

Projected leaders: Solon 140, Mount Vernon 130, Marion 79, Williamsburg 78.

River Valley Conference

(4:30 p.m., at Tipton)

GIRLS

Mid-Prairie owns the last four Class 2A state championships, and the Golden Hawks are expected to rule the River Valley again. Junior Danielle Hostetler will dominate the distance events, and there’s a good sprinting crew led by Tabitha Evans. Maquoketa’s first year in the River Valley coincides with a giant leap in young talent led by sophomore Taylor Wing. The Cardinals should battle for the runner-up spot with Cascade, which possesses a hurdling ace in senior Devin Simon.

Projected leaders: Mid-Prairie 138, Maquoketa 93, Cascade 92, Tipton 68.

BOYS

Anamosa is primed for a jump — perhaps all the way to the top — after placing fifth last year. If form holds, the Raiders will pile up the points in the relays, five of which they are seeded first or second. Jay Gatto has long-jumped 23 feet, and Shea Keister is a sub-2 guy in the 800 meters. Mid-Prairie will get a jump start from its field events, particularly from Cain Brown, who can leap both high and far. Defending champion Tipton remains strong in the distances, and won’t surrender easily.

Projected leaders: Anamosa 109, Mid-Prairie 96, Tipton 77, Northeast 69.

Tri-Rivers Conference

(4 p.m., at Central City)

GIRLS

The top three teams last year (North Linn, Alburnett and Lisbon) were within three points of each other, and it could be just as crowded at the top Thursday. The most improved team in the area, in any class or conference, is Midland. The Eagles have developed some elite sprinting talent (three different girls are top-seeded in the 100, 200 and 400). All of last year’s frontrunners will be in the hunt again. The star of the show will be Calamus-Wheatland distance ace Noelle Steines, who won the Drake Relays 1,500-meter race last week.

Projected leaders: Midland 107, Lisbon 93, North Linn 91, Alburnett 88.

BOYS

If the gap has closed between defending champion Lisbon and the rest of the field, it’s not by much. The Lions remain heavy favorites after winning the 2022 title by 53 points, even with Kole Becker now at Iowa State. Luke Czarnecki and Baylor Speidel have assumed the starring roles, and the Lions are dynamite in the hurdles. North Linn has a slight edge on Alburnett and Maquoketa Valley in the race for second place. Alburnett is top-seeded in three relays.

Projected leaders: Lisbon 145, North Linn 105, Alburnett 97, Maquoketa Valley 97.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com