Gabby Cortez’s final Cedar Rapids Prairie 400 is a state track victory lap

DES MOINES — The first of Gabby Cortez’s “lasts” was glorious.

“I knew this was my last 400-meter race, and I really wanted it badly,” said the Cedar Rapids Prairie ace. “This year, I was ready to run the race.”

Cortez’s final high school 400-meter tour turned out to be a victory lap; the University of Iowa signee won the Class 4A girls’ race in 55.27 seconds at the state track and field meet Thursday afternoon at Drake Stadium.

A fifth-place finisher in the 400 as a freshman, Cortez ran second to Norwalk’s Claire Farrell last year.

This time, she got out to the lead and turned the tables on Farrell, who was second in 56.06 seconds. Iowa City High freshman Ani Wedemeyer was third.

“I knew it was really important to get out strong,” she said. “At the end, with the headwind, I put my head down and got through it.”

At last week’s regional meet, Cortez can on the sprint medley relay and the 400- and 1,600-meter relays. She said Thursday that the plan for the rest of the meet is the 800-meter relay and both medleys.

West Des Moines Valley is the leader in the 4A girls’ team race through five events. The Tigers have 22 points in the bank, two more than second-place Waukee.

Prairie is fifth with 14 points.

Iowa City Liberty senior Isabelle Woody tied for third in the high jump, clearing 5 feet, 4 inches.

“I’m happy with how it went, but I’m sad that it’s over,” said Woody, who will compete at UC Santa Barbara next year. “I wanted to end on a good note. The environment was great, and it was really fun competing with these girls.”

Cedar Rapids Kennedy twins Sidney and Addison Swartzendruber were fourth and fifth in the 400. Emma Joens of Prairie was fifth in the discus.

Thursday results: Class 4A girls

Top 10 teams (through 5 events) — 1. West Des Moines Valley 22, 2. Waukee 20, 3. (tie) Des Moines Roosevelt and Dubuque Hempstead 15, 5. Cedar Rapids Prairie 14, 6. Pleasant Valley 13, 7. West Des Moines Dowling 11, 8. Ankeny 10.5, 9. Norwalk 10, 10. Cedar Rapids Kennedy 9.

Discus — 1. Alex Buscher (Waukee), 132-5; 2. Reese Goodlet (Pleasant Valley), 129-8; 3. Lilly Duff (Marshalltown), 128-7; 5. Emma Joens (Cedar Rapids Prairie), 123-8; 6. Darya Acas (Iowa City Liberty), 123-3.

High jump — 1. Josie Moreland (Waukee), 5-6 1/2; 2. Alex Gaskell (West Des Moines Dowling), 5-4; 3. (tie) Isabelle Woody (Iowa City Liberty) and Reagan Hanfelt (Ankeny), 5-4; T-6. Allison Kriegel (Linn-Mar), 5-0.

3,000 — 1. Addison Dorenkamp (West Des Moines Valley), 9:55.89; 2. Abi Hahn (Des Moines Roosevelt), 10:05.21; 3. Kamryn Ensley (West Des Moines Valley), 10:06.60.

3,200 relay — 1. Dubuque Hempstead (Kay, Gehl, Leitzen, O’Brien), 9:21.09; 2. Ames, 9:29.10; 3. West Des Moines Valley, 9:31.73.

400 — 1. Gabby Cortez (Cedar Rapids Prairie), 55.27; 2. Claire Farrell (Norwalk), 56.06; 3. Ani Wedemeyer (Iowa City High), 57.84; 4. Sidney Swartzendruber (Cedar Rapids Kennedy), 58.04; 5. Addison Swartzendruber (Cedar Rapids Kennedy), 58.06.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com