Boys relays from Washington, Benton earn Class 3A silver medals

DES MOINES — Lance Sobaski was aware of his competition.

“I started off and set my pace, and I knew there were going to be to be chasers,” said the senior from Washington (Iowa) High School.

That’s putting it mildly.

Guys like Aidan Ramsey of Dallas Center-Grimes. Dudes like Jackson Mace-Maynard of Newton.

But Sobaski held his own. He anchored in 1:56.2 to finish a runner-up Class 3A boys’ distance medley relay team at the state track and field meet Friday afternoon at Drake Stadium.

Dallas Center-Grimes won it in 3:27.49, followed by the Demons’ quartet of Ethan Patterson, Jacob Miller, Elijah Morris and Sobaski in 3:30.72.

“To run this with my teammates one last time, to go out and PR, what more can you ask for?” Sobaski said. “It was a lot of fun.”

Defending-champion Pella takes the lead into Saturday; the Dutch have 39.5 points through 10 events.

Dallas Center-Grimes is second with 36; Washington stands third with 32.

Sobaski had to contend with Ramsey, who anchored in 1:52.4. Mace-Maynard passed him, too, but Sobaski answered in the final 200 meters.

Benton Community nearly claimed the 800-meter relay out of the second heat. The Bobcats’ crew of Sam Wallace, Carson Bruns, Aiden Harris and Jacob Brecht ran 1:29.83, then Lewis Central won it out of the final heat in 1:29.47.

“We had good handoffs, a good race, we were close to a PR,” Brecht said. “We really wanted to be in that fast heat; if we were, the outcome might have been different.

“I have mixed feelings. This stings right now, but second place sure isn’t bad.”

Joseph Hjelle of Decorah and Dakota Hoffman of Western Dubuque finished third and fourth in the shot put. Marion finished fourth in the distance medley.

Friday results: Class 3A boys

Top 10 teams (through 10 events) — 1. Pella 39.5, 2. Dallas Center-Grimes 36, 3. Washington 32, 4. Newton 26, 5. Western Dubuque 23, 6. Charles City 18, 7. Le Mars 15, 8. (tie) Dubuque Wahlert and North Polk 14, 10. (tie) Carlisle, Marion, Decorah and Waverly-Shell Rock 13.

Long jump -- 1. Archer Ogbourne (Carlisle), 23-0 3/4; 2. Ian Collins (Charles City), 23-0 1/4; 3. Aidan Kuehl (Sioux City Heelan), 22-9 3/4; 5. Ben Swails (Clear Creek Amana), 21-4 1/4; 6. Haywood Stowe (Decorah), 21-4 1/2.

Shot put -- 1. J.J. Moore (Webster City), 59-5; 2. Brandon VanderSluis (Le Mars) 59-3 3/4; 3. Joseph Hjelle (Decorah), 58-8 1/4; 4. Dakota Hoffman (Western Dubuque), 54-9 3/4; 8. Brayden Hartman (Washington), 51-5 1/2.

800 relay -- 1. Lewis Central (Fidone, Hinsley, Kammrad, Humpal), 1:29.47; 2. Benton Community, 1:29.83; 3. Le Mars, 1:30.63.

400 hurdles -- 1. Jaden Damiano (Iowa Falls-Alden), 53.74; 2. Gage Huyser (Pella), 54.43; 3. Tristan Rheingans (DeWitt Central), 55.26; 6. Gavin Zillyette (Clear Creek Amana), 56.21; 8. Keyan Gisleson (Clear Creek Amana), 56.39.

Distance medley relay -- 1. Dallas Center-Grimes (Jackson, Todd, Onwuramaka, Ramsey), 3:27.49; 2. Washington, 3:30.72; 3. Newton, 3:33.85; 4. Marion, 3:34.55; 6. Western Dubuque, 3:37.22; 7. Clear Creek Amana, 3:37.34; 8. Adel ADM, 3:37.70.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com