Austin West begins the chase for state gold for Iowa City West boys’ track and field

CEDAR FALLS - Austin West has his eye on a boys' track and field state title.

The Iowa City West senior and defending state runner-up in the 400 hurdles is utilizing multiple sports, varied events and an array of skills to get there.

'I want to break the all-time record in the 400 hurdles,” West said after winning two events at the Mississippi Valley Conference boys' indoor track and field meet Monday at the UNI-Dome. 'That is why I run something like the 600 (meter run). … Having that strength will help me make the last hundred (meters), especially in that race.”

West won the 600 Monday in a time of 1:25.14, 28 hundredths of a second faster than Luke Hilby of Dubuque Wahlert.

Last season, West was just 12 hundredths (53.09) of a second shy of a state title in the 400 hurdles and is the highest-ranked returning state qualifier in the event. The state record is 50.96 seconds, set in 1996 by Dustin Avey of Ames.

Also a key cog in three state-qualifying relay units last season, West looks ready to add the long jump to his impressive arsenal. His winning leap of 22 feet, 2 ¼ inches Monday was over a foot and a half better than the runner-up.

'He is just able to do whatever we ask him to do and willing to do whatever we ask him to do,” West Coach T.J. Craig said. 'He is a multisport athlete. ... So he comes in with that strength. His ability to do just about anything makes him very versatile.”

Last summer, West struck out 21 batters in 26 innings of relief pitching with a 1.08 earned run average for the Trojans' baseball team, then tallied 386 receiving yards, five touchdowns and a team-high three interceptions in football.

'Football is a really tough sport,” West said. 'It is very mental. It helps our team because five practices a week I can say, ‘Hey, why don't you come out for track in the spring?' As far as the sport itself, that grind really takes all 11 guys on any given play to make that play work. Here it takes four guys on a relay or 100-some kids on a team to get a good overall team.”

West will attend the University of Iowa in the fall and participate in the decathlon. He intends to get a head start by training on a couple of events that high school competition does not offer - javelin and pole vault.

His productivity should help the Trojans take another step forward in the state team race, where they leapt nine spots to ninth last season.

'We have really good leadership across all of our event groups,” West said. 'I think we've got the firepower to score some big points at the state meet.”

No team scores were kept at Monday's meet. Cedar Rapids Kennedy had three individual winners - Jacob Green (3200), Cairron Hendred (60) and Lucas Middlekauf (1600).

Mike Jasa won the 60 hurdles in 8.42 seconds for Cedar Rapids Prairie, which also claimed relay wins in the 3200 and 1600.

Josh Volk won the shot put with a throw of 50 feet, 11 inches for Cedar Rapids Xavier.

Cedar Rapids Jefferson posted three relay wins (sprint medley, 800 and 400).

Boys' track and field

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY CONFERENCE INDOOR MEET

At UNI-Dome

(No team scores were kept)

High jump -

1. Jacee Clark (Waterloo East), 6-0; 2. D.J. Haskins (Dubuque Senior), 6-0; 3. Matt Bandy (Dubuque Wahlert), 5-10.

Long jump -

1. Austin West (Iowa City West), 22-2 1/4; 2. Deyton Love (Waterloo West), 20-6 1/4; 3. Ezeki Leggins (Cedar Rapids Jefferson), 20-4 1/2.

Shot put -

1. Josh Volk (Cedar Rapids Xavier), 50-11; 2. Keegan Larson (Cedar Falls), 50-0; 3. Andrew Sandvold (Cedar Falls), 48-5.

Sprint medley relay -

1. Cedar Rapids Jefferson, 1:40.52; 2. Dubuque Hempstead, 1:42.35; 3. Linn-Mar, 1:42.53.

3200 -

1. Jacob Green (Cedar Rapids Kennedy), 10:22.46; 2. John Pape (Cedar Rapids Xavier), 10:25.87; 3. Will Conrad (Iowa City West), 10:33.05.

3200 relay -

1. Cedar Rapids Prairie, 8:23.69; 2. Dubuque Wahlert, 8:26.65; 3. Iowa City West, 8:30.10.

Shuttle hurdle relay -

1. Dubuque Senior, 36.00; 2. Iowa City West, 36.84; 3. Dubuque Hempstead, 37.91.

60 -

1. Cairron Hendred (Cedar Rapids Kennedy), 6.92; 2. Dylan Kutsch (Dubuque Hempstead), 7.01; 3. Chris Chapman (Dubuque Senior), 7.12.

Distance medley relay -

1. Dubuque Senior, 3:56.75; 2. Iowa City High, 3:59.57; 3. Cedar Rapids Prairie, 4:01.50.

400 -

1. Angelo Ronagna (Dubuque Senior), 52.32; 2. Ben Manternach (Cedar Rapids Jefferson), 55.02; 3. Branden Knight (Cedar Rapids Kennedy), 55.49.

800 relay -

1. Cedar Rapids Jefferson, 1:32.39; 2. Iowa City West, 1:33.86; 3. Waterloo East, 1:35.86.

60 hurdles -

1. Mike Jasa (Cedar Rapids Prairie), 8.42; 2. Treat Davis (Linn-Mar), 8.53; 3. Dakota Brimmek (Dubuque Senior), 8.63.

600 -

1. Austin West (Iowa City West), 1:25.14; 2. Luke Hilby (Dubuque Wahlert), 1:25.42; 3. Jeff Garbutt (Iowa City West), 1:25.86.

200 -

1. Tavious Jenkins (Waterloo East), 23.50; 2. Angelo Romagna (Dubuque Senior), 23.50; 3. Kyle Arthour (Dubuque Hempstead), 23.90.

1600 -

1. Lucas Middlekauf (Cedar Rapids Kennedy), 4:52.80; 2. Jonathan Brown (Iowa City High), 4:53.39; 3. Jackson Foley (Cedar Rapids Kennedy), 4:55.80.

400 relay -

1. Cedar Rapids Jefferson, 43.90; 2. Linn-Mar, 45.90; 3. Dubuque Hempstead, 46.55.

1600 relay -

1. Cedar Rapids Prairie, 3:32.21; 2. Iowa City West, 3:32.56; 3. Dubuque Senior, 3:34.34.

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