Cedar Rapids Xavier’s journey: From no 4x100 to the best in 3A state track meet

DES MOINES — The preseason prospects for Cedar Rapids Xavier’s 400-meter relay weren’t promising.

“We didn’t have a 4-by-1,” Aidan McDermott said.

Somehow, from March to May, through what McDermott called “a lot of coaching and a lot of work,” the Saints went from no 4x100 to a championship 4x100.

Luke Efting, Grayson Hartman, Michael Cunningham and McDermott circled the track in 42.88 seconds, edging Carlisle by 3-hundredths of a second for the Class 3A boys’ title at the state track and field meet Saturday at Drake Stadium.

“Our goal was to make people ask where Xavier came from,” said Hartman, who also finished second in the 110-meter hurdles.

Saturday, the Saints came from behind, thanks to McDermott’s closing kick.

“I like chasing people,” he said. “It was perfect.”

There is speed at Xavier, and there is speed across town, too. Marion’s Alex Mota was the 100-meter champion, setting a 3A state record in 10.71 seconds.

“I’m in awe right now,” Mota said. “I stumbled a little bit out of the blocks, then I ran the best 100 of my life.

“This is in the top two of my (athletic achievements).”

What could rival a championship and a record?

“When I committed to Iowa (to play football),” he said.

Mount Vernon’s Jensen Meeker, Zach Fall, Brady Erickson and Owen Brase concluded the day with a championship run in the 1,600-meter run. Their 3:22.41 effort won by more than 4 seconds.

“It’s what we’ve been pushing for all year,” Brase said.

Fall put the Mustangs in the lead for good, and they were never threatened again.

“I had to get out hard,” Fall said. “If I got out hard and got us the lead, I knew we could hold it.”

Marion’s Shane Erb was the 1,600-meter runner-up to Dallas Center-Grimes’ Aidan Ramsey.

“I went for it, but Ramsey is just too strong,” Erb said. “He’s a beast.”

Ramsey won four events this weekend to lift Dallas Center-Grimes to the 3A boys’ title. The Mustangs compiled 73 points to edge Little Hawkeye Conference rival Pella (71.5).

Another LHC team, Newton was third with 50 points, then Washington (44), Marion (38) and Western Dubuque (36) rounded out the top six.

Saturday results: Class 3A boys

Final team standings — 1. Dallas Center-Grimes 73, 2. Pella 71.5, 3. Newton 50, 4. Washington 44, 5. Marion 38, 6. Western Dubuque 36, 7. North Polk 30, 8. Carlisle 27, 9. Clear Creek Amana and Dubuque Wahlert 24. 11. Cedar Rapids Xavier 22, t17. Mount Vernon 15, 20. Decorah 13, t21. Benton Community 11, t27. South Tama 8, 29. Center Point-Urbana 7, t33. Solon 5, t37. Maquoketa, t40. Independence 2.

Sprint medley relay — 1. Dallas Center-Grimes 1:34:23, 2. Winterset 1:34.54, 3. Washington 1:34.65, 6. Marion 1:35.58, 7. Benton Community 1:35.85.

800 — 1. Aidan Ramsey (Dallas Center-Grimes), 1:54.36; 2. Jackson Mace-Maynard (Newton), 1:55.06; 3. Tommy Tyynismaa (South Tama), 1:55.23; 4. Eli Naumann (Western Dubuque), 6. Lance Sobaski (Washington), 8. Carson Sansenbach (Mount Vernon), 1:59.18.

Shuttle hurdle relay — 1. Pella 59.45, 2. North Polk 59.70, 3. Humboldt 1:01.01, 5. Cedar Rapids Xavier 1:01.84, 6. Clear Creek Amana 1:02.82.

100 — 1. Alex Mota (Marion), *10.71; 2. Brevin Doll (ADM), 10.74; 3. Caden Plaiser (Sioux Center), 10.86; 7. Aaron Kramer (Center Point-Urbana), 10.94; Sam Wallace (Benton Community), 10.94.

110 hurdles — 1. Jaden Damiano (Iowa Falls-Alden), 14.23; 2. Grayson Hartman (CR Xavier), 14.36; 3. Harrison Rosenberg (Clear Creek Amana), 14.52.

200 — 1. Brevin Doll (ADM), 21.89; 2. Caeden DaSilva (Nevada), 21.90; 3. Ryan Brosius (Dubuque Wahlert), 22.18; 5. Alex Mota (Marion), 22.23; 8. Aaron Kramer (Center Point-Urbana), 22.90.

1,600 — 1. Aidan Ramsey (Dallas Center-Grimes), 4:15.24; 2. Shane Erb (Marion), 4:16.49; 3. Jackson Mace-Maynard (Newton), 4:19.00; 4. Eli Naumann (Western Dubuque), 4:22.47; 6. Lance Sobaski (Washington), 4:24.54.

400 relay — 1. Cedar Rapids Xavier (Luke Efting, Grayson Hartman, Michael Cunningham, Aidan McDermott), 42.88; 2. Carlisle 42.91, 3. Sioux City Heelan 43.14, 4. Clear Creek Amana 43.70.

1,600 relay — 1. Mount Vernon (Jensen Meeker, Zach Fall, Brady Erickson, Owen Brase), 3:22.41; 2. Pella 3:26.35, 3. Dallas Center-Grimes 3:26.37, 6. Western Dubuque 3.32.05.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com