Iowa City High freshman Ani Wedemeyer makes an immediate state track impact

DES MOINES — She’s so good, so soon. You’d think Ani Wedemeyer would be brimming with confidence.

Not so.

“Every time I race, I question myself on whether I can give everything I’ve got,” said Wedemeyer, a freshman at Iowa City High. “Every time, I think I do.”

Wedemeyer, who “wasn’t even supposed to run any 800s this year,” turned out to be the top Class 4A girl in that event, winning the title at the state track and field meet Saturday at Drake Stadium.

She finished in 2 minutes, 11.99 seconds.

“Coach wanted me to run 400s on down, because my best was only 2:25 in eighth grade,” Wedemeyer said.

But things worked themselves out.

Wedemeyer later anchored the Little Hawks’ 1,600-meter relay to a title. Iris Wedemeyer, Mia DePrenger, Eva Reynolds and Ani Wedemeyer ran 3:52.72, crossing more than 3 seconds ahead of the pack.

“I’m so thrilled,” Reynolds said. “We all did our part. I’m amazed how strong we looked.”

City High earned a share of third place in the team race. Waukee Northwest captured the title with 70 points. Norwalk was second with 50, then the Little Hawks tied West Des Moines Valley and Sioux City West with 46.

Cedar Rapids Prairie tied for eighth with 44. Gabby Cortez closed our her career in the morning, anchoring the Hawks’ winning sprint medley relay.

“It hasn’t hit yet that it’s over,” said Cortez, who will compete at the University of Iowa next year. “I wanted this to be one of my best races.”

Asia Russell, Catie Reittinger and Sarah Jordan got the baton to Cortez in good shape, and the ace anchor finished the job. Prairie was timed in 1:46.36.

“We were so ready for this,” Reittinger said. “This was Gabby’s last race, and we needed to get the baton across for her.”

Jordan said, “I knew when Gabby got it, we had it.”

Saturday results: Class 4A girls

Final team standings — 1. Waukee Northwest 70, 2. Norwalk 50, 3. Iowa City High, West Des Moines Valley and Sioux City West 46, 6. Ames 45, 7. Ankeny 44.5, 8. Cedar Rapids Prairie and West Des Moines Dowling 44, 10. Des Moines Roosevelt, 14. Cedar Rapids Kennedy, 19. Linn-Mar 14, 21. Iowa City Liberty 10.5.

Sprint medley relay — 1. C.R. Prairie (Asia Russell, Catie Reittinger, Sarah Jordan, Gabby Cortez), 1:46.36; 2. Norwalk, 1:47.39; 3. C.R. Kennedy, 1:48.97; 8. Linn-Mar, 1:52.15.

800 — 1. Ani Wedemeyer (Iowa City High), 2:11.99; 2. Alli Macke (Ankeny), 2:13.66; 3. Grace Boleyn (Pleasant Valley), 2:15.19; 7. Ashlyn Keeney (Iowa City Liberty), 2:18.41.

Shuttle hurdle relay — 1. Pleasant Valley 58.96, 2. Linn-Mar 1:00.09, 3. Mason City 1:01.24, 6. CR Kennedy 1:02.91.

100 — 1. Holly Duax (Sioux City West), 11.67; 2. Claire Farrell (Norwalk), 11.88; 3. Jessica Kyne (Des Moines Hoover).

100 hurdles — 1. 1. Mackenzie Carney (Waukee NW), *14.10; 2. Natalie Harrie (Waukee NW), 14.23; 3. Ruby Leman (WDM Dowling), 15.04; 5. Grace Braden, (CR Kennedy), 15.29.

200 — 1. Holly Duax (Sioux City West), **23.95; 2. Claire Farrell (Norwalk), 24.56; 3. Natalie Harris (Waukee NW), 25.06.

1,500 — 1. Addison Dorenkamp (WDM Valley), 4:36.60; 2. Abi Hahn (DM Roosevelt), 3. Kaia Downs (Sioux City East), 4:38.46.

400 relay — 1. Sioux City West 48.31; 2. Waukee Northwest 48.43; 3. WDM Dowling; 7. Linn-Mar 50.00.

1,600 relay — 1. Iowa City High (Iris Wedemeyer, Mia DePrenger, Eva Reynolds, Ani Wedemeyer), 3:52.72; 2. Ankeny 3:55.94; 3. Waukee Northwest 3:56.45.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com