Heroic final jump sends Linn-Mar’s Abby Mecklenburg to a state track and field title

DES MOINES — In a way, Abby Mecklenburg was jumping for two.

“I wanted this for Petra,” she said, referring to her Linn-Mar teammate Petra Sherman. “She was really sad that she didn’t make the finals, so I had to do this for her.”

Mecklenburg came through on her final attempt, leaping a clutch 18 feet, 2 1/4 inches to win the Class 4A girls’ long jump at the state track and field meet Friday afternoon at Drake Stadium.

“I’m so happy I pulled it out,” the sophomore said. “I don’t think I’ve ever jumped 17 feet here before today.

“My steps were all over the board today, but the last one felt good.”

Mecklenburg’s best effort of the program had been 17-6 3/4 on her second jump.

Jaida Bell of Johnston moved into first place at 17-11 3/4 on her third jump, then improved to 18-even on her fourth.

Mecklenburg fouled on her third and fourth attempts, went 17-3 on her fifth, then came through in her last try. It was Linn-Mar’s second field-event title of the weekend; Maia Denge-Hagen reigned in the high jump Thursday.

Linn-Mar resides in fifth place in the 4A girls team race with 22 points.

Led by an all-time best in the 800-meter relay (1:39.15), Waukee Northwest is the front-runner with 47 points, followed by Pleasant Valley (43), Johnston (36) and Dubuque Hempstead (23).

Cedar Rapids Prairie was fourth in the 800-meter relay.

“It could have been better, it could have been worse, but a PR is a PR,” Prairie’s Asia Russell said.

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State track and field: Class 4A Girls

At Des Moines (Drake Stadium)

Top 10 teams (through 10 events) — 1. Waukee Northwest 47, 2. Pleasant Valley 43, 3. Johnston 36, 4. Dubuque Hempstead 23, 5. Linn-Mar 22, 6. (tie) Ankeny and West Des Moines Valley 19, 8. Ames 17, 9. (tie) Ottumwa and Waukee 16.

Shot put — 1. Kylee Hill (Burlington), 45-2 1/2; 2. Zuri Patterson (Waukee Northwest), 41-10 1/2; 3. Delilah Subsin (Ottumwa), 40-7 1/4; 7. Jolie Nordell (Iowa City Liberty), 37-6.

Long jump — 1. Abby Mecklenburg (Linn-Mar), 18-2 1/4; 2. Jaida Bell (Johnston), 18-0; 3. Lainey Drown (Urbandale), 17-9; 4. Alexi Thigpen (Iowa City Liberty), 17-7 1/4.

Distance medley relay — 1. Dubuque Hempstead (Anderson, Tomkins, Osterkamp, Leitzen), 4:00.21; 2. Pleasant Valley, 4:01.79; 3. Johnston, 4:03.51.

800 relay — 1. Waukee Northwest (Robinson, Caldwell, Van Zetten, Stahl), 1:39.15 (all-time Iowa best); 2. Sioux City East, 1:42.01; 3. Ames, 1:42.78; 4. Cedar Rapids Prairie, 1:43.63; 7. Linn-Mar, 1:43.98.

400 hurdles — 1. Avery Winter (Waukee Northwest), 1:02.11; 2. Jessie Clemons (Pleasant Valley), 1:02.17; 3. Angelica Attinger (Ames), 1:03.33; 6. Ryann Decker (Cedar Rapids Prairie), 1:05.74; 7. Erinn Varga (Iowa City West), 1:06.21.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com