Drake Relays 2025: Five storylines to watch in the high school competition

DES MOINES — Five things to watch in the high school portion of the Drake Relays, which runs Thursday through Saturday at Drake Stadium.

Prince pursues royalty in the ring, twice

There probably isn’t a high school competitor that has come as far, as fast, as Clear Creek Amana’s Landon Prince.

At last year’s Drake Relays, Prince placed 18th in the boys’ discus. He wasn’t among the 24 shot put qualifiers.

He will enter the ring as the favorite in both events this weekend.

Prince leads the field in the shot put (62 feet, 2 inches), which will be contested at 3 p.m. Thursday, and in the discus (182-2), which starts at 8:30 Friday morning.

Can he go faster? Can she go further?

In a matter of about 24 hours last week, two Metro stars established all-time Iowa bests.

First, Linn-Mar junior Abby Mecklenburg set a new standard in the girls’ long jump — 20 feet, 8 1/4 inches.

Then it was Quinton Alexander’s turn. The senior from Cedar Rapids Prairie motored through the boys’ 110-meter hurdles in 13.64 seconds.

Mecklenburg and Alexander both are reigning Class 4A state champions.

Alexander was second at Drake in his specialty last year; Mecklenburg was fifth in hers.

Mecklenburg jumps at 6 p.m. Thursday. Alexander’s preliminary is at 9:13 Friday morning, with a likely appearance in the final at 10:39.

Small-school girl, high (jump) hopes

Girls’ high jump contestants come from larger towns, like Ames and Ankeny and Adel.

They also come from much smaller places, like Victor.

Ema Roberts, a senior from HLV, is a prime contender. She is the reigning Class 1A state champion, clearing 5 feet, 7 inches, and has matched that this season.

A Wartburg College commit, Roberts is seeded second behind North Polk’s Reese Wagner (5-8 1/4).

The girls’ high jump is at 11 a.m. Friday.

Race of the meet? It’s the boys’ 800 meters

Come 1:53 Friday afternoon, it might take an all-time Iowa best to win the boys’ 800-meter race.

It might take a historic sub-1:50 performance.

Moustafa Tiea, a senior at Iowa City West and a University of South Carolina recruit, headlines the field.

Tiea ran 1:50.40 (No. 3 all-time in Iowa) April 12 on his home track. Des Moines Christian junior Caleb Ten Pas ran 1:51.51 in the same race.

Other contenders include Owen Wolfe of West Des Moines Dowling, Canaan Dunham of Pella and Quentin Nauman of Western Dubuque, among others.

The all-time Iowa best is 1:50.18, set in 2007 by Mid-Prairie’s Aaron Stockstell.

And, of course, there’s the weather

It’s always something, it seems.

Cold is common. Rain, yeah, that too.

Severe weather hit Des Moines during last year’s Friday-night session, and the late events Saturday were delayed 3 hours by another storm.

The forecast for Thursday calls for a 30-percent chance of morning thunderstorms, with a high of 75.

Friday is expected to be cloudy with a high of 61, with a sunny Saturday and a high of 64.

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2025 Drake Relays high school schedule

(Finals unless noted)

THURSDAY

2:30 p.m. — Girls discus

3 p.m. — Boys shot put

4 p.m. — Boys long jump

4:30 p.m. — Boys high jump

5:52 p.m. — Boys 3,200

6 p.m. — Girls long jump

6:07 p.m. — Girls 3,000

FRIDAY

8:30 a.m. — Boys discus

8:35 a.m. — Girls 100 hurdles (prelims)

8:49 a.m. — Boys 110 hurdles (prelims)

9 a.m. — Girls shot put

9:03 a.m. — Girls 100 (prelims)

9:13 a.m. — Boys 100 (prelims)

9:50 a.m. — Girls sprint medley relay

10:04 a.m. — Boys distance medley relay

10:34 a.m. — Girls 100 hurdles

10:39 a.m. — Boys 110 hurdles

11 a.m. — Girls high jump

12:43 p.m. — Girls 800 relay

12:56 p.m. — Boys 800 relay

1:40 p.m. — Girls 800

1:53 p.m. — Boys 800

2:39 p.m. — Girls 100

3:03 p.m. — Boys 100

5:28 p.m. — Girls 400

5:46 p.m. — Boys 400

8:27 p.m. — Girls 1,600 relay (prelims)

8:43 p.m. — Boys 1,600 relay (prelims)

SATURDAY

8:10 a.m. — Girls shuttle hurdle relay (prelims)

8:25 a.m. — Boys shuttle hurdle relay (prelims)

9:40 a.m. — Girls 400 relay (prelims)

10:12 a.m. — Boys 400 relay (prelims)

10:44 a.m. — Girls 3,200 relay

10:59 a.m. — Boys 3,200 relay

11:57 a.m. — Girls shuttle hurdle relay

12:17 p.m. — Boys shuttle hurdle relay

1:07 p.m. — Girls 400 hurdles

1:14 p.m. — Boys 400 hurdles

3:47 p.m. — Girls 400 relay

3:52 p.m. — Boys 400 relay

3:57 p.m. — Girls 1,500

4:05 p.m. — Boys 1,600

4:27 p.m. — Girls 1,600 relay

4:34 p.m. — Boys 1,600 relay

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com