Iowa Valley's Lydia Kriegel snares second in the 1A shot put

DES MOINES — Lydia Kriegel doesn’t simply set lofty expectations.

The Iowa Valley senior routinely shatters them.

Kriegel — the 2024 Class 1A champion in the discus — began her double-duty throwing odyssey at this year’s state meet with a second-place finish in the shot put Thursday at Drake Stadium.

The four-sport standout qualified but didn’t place in the event last May at state.

“It’s crazy to think I started throwing shot as a sophomore and to think how much I’ve grown, and how much I’ve gotten better — it’s all thanks to my coach for putting in so much time helping me and making me better in both shot and (discus),” said Kriegel, who will compete for Wartburg next season.

So Kriegel’s rise in the shot put pit has been meteoric — and she’s just getting started this weekend.

“I’m still in shock,” Kriegel said. “Even though I got second, I’m still so happy with how I performed.”

Kriegel said learning to excel in both throwing disciplines has been equal parts challenging and rewarding.

“It is very difficult because they are two completely different things,” Kriegel said. “The technique is so much different, but once you get it you can figure out both of them.”

Now Kriegel’s poised to reprise her role as champion in the discus. She rose from second to first with her final throw in last season’s pulse-pounding event, and that experience buoys her hopes that she can uncork another personal-best throw of the disc.

“100 percent,” Kriegel said. “I’m ready to go. I’m ready to try and throw a big one (Friday) and hopefully get a PR. I guess we’ll see what happens.”

Lanni Beaman of Maquoketa Valley saw her quest for the top of the medal stand in the 400-meters cut in half. The junior finished sixth in 2024 but crossed the line third on Thursday in a personal-record time of 58.09.

“I think I grew from last year,” Beaman said. “This was my goal, to get on the podium and run my race.”

Fort Dodge St. Edmond leads the 1A girls standings with 18 points. Maquoketa Valley is tied for seventh with nine points.

Class 1A Girls

Top 10 teams (through 5 events) — 1. Fort Dodge St. Edmond 18; 2. Pekin 11; 3. Tie, Nashua-Plainfield, Wayne Corydon, Council Bluffs St. Albert, Alta-Aurelia 10; 7. Tie, Maquoketa Valley, Madrid, Oakland Riverside, AGWSR, Martensdale-St. Mary’s 9.

Shot put— 1. Mariah Myers (Fort Dodge St. Edmond), 42-0; 2. Lydia Kriegel (Iowa Valley), 40-04; 3. Josie Kuper (AGWSR), 38-07.75.

Long jump — 1. Ella Whitney (Wayne Corydon), 17-05.75; 2. Paige Richards (Madrid), 17-05.25; 3. Nataliya Linder (North Mahaska), 17-00.50.

3,000 — 1.Lili Denton (Council Bluffs St. Albert), 9:42.04; 2. Chloe Glosser (Pekin), 10:14.43; 3. Tyra Schupbach (West Bend-Mallard), 10:27.02; 4. Lauren Krogmann (Starmont), 10:27.08.

3,200 relay — 1. Alta-Aurelia (Anderson, Berkland, E. Peterson, N. Peterson), 9:43.53; 2. Earlham, 9:43.94; 3. Martensdale-St. Mary’s, 9:48.14; 7. HLV/Tri-County, 9:55.42.

400 — 1. Kadence Huck (Nashua-Plainfield), 55.61; 2. Anna Lursen (Fort Dodge St. Edmond), 57.47; 3. Lanni Beaman (Maquoketa Valley), 58.09; 5. Maddy Jansen (South Winneshiek) 59.18; 6. Audra Burbridge (Maquoketa Valley), 59.62; 7. Rylee Shield (Lone Tree), 59.88.

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