Cascade finds another gear

By Rob Gray

Correspondent

DES MOINES - Abby Green reflected on her four years at Cascade with tear-filled eyes that failed to suppress a mile-wide smile.

“I didn't even make it to state track my freshman year,” said Green, who celebrated with Cougar teammates Saturday after helping win their first Class 2A girls' state track and field title. “This is an extreme difference from my freshman year - an extreme difference. I never thought this would happen. Ever.”

Until this season.

Cascade entered the meet as a strong favorite, took the lead on day one and kicked - not coasted - to the historic triumph.

The Cougars finished with a class-record 82 points and added three gold medals to a red-letter weekend. West Branch was fourth with 38 and Jesup took fifth with 37.

“I really wanted to help bring home a trophy for the team,” said Cascade 1,500-meter run winner Mariah Kauder. “To be a part of something so special it will be remembered.”

Green, the only Cougar senior to compete at state, naturally ran the first leg of a memorable 1,600-meter relay that finished in a state-record 3:55.52.

It was the last event of her career. And a milestone to build from for teammates such as Abbey Meyer, Tessa Helmle and anchor Allison Gibbs.

“We weren't only doing it for a record, we were doing it for her,” said Meyer, a sophomore who anchored the winning sprint medley relay team. “She's done everything for us. We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her. We knew we were going to race against the clock. If we ran our best, we'd have to race against the clock and we were going for that meet record. That's what we wanted.”

Kauder ran a school-record 4:43.64 to hold off Jesup's Lindsey Kite in the 1,500. Kite had outlasted her several hours earlier to win the 800 in 2:15.96.

The J-Hawk star had hoped to run with a pack and strike late rather than leading the whole race.

“They weren't going to let me do that,” Kite said. “So I just started off strong and stayed strong; sprinted all out at the end.”

Speaking of endings, Green said hers is relative.

“I'll come to all their meets,” said the future University of Dubuque student.

And if they have any questions?

“They can text me,” she said, with a smile.

Several minutes later, she, Meyer, Helmle and Gibbs massed for one last embrace, a cheer and four kisses for the record-worthy baton.

“This is perfect,” Green said. “We couldn't have ended it any better.”