Swift shuttle relay

IOWA CITY - The fastest shuttle hurdle relay team in the state keeps improving. And they can get even better.

The Iowa City High boys' team owned the best time in the state entering last night's 40th annual Forwald/Coleman Relays, but it shaved nearly three-quarters of a second off that to win with a time of 57.01 seconds.

That broke the meet record set last year by Linn-Mar.

“In that event, that's a very good time drop,” City Coach Tom Carey said. “We're going to have to keep getting better.”

The four seniors on the City boys' shuttle hurdle relay team - Mason Greer, Javon Duarte, Jeremy Johnson, and Dan Roemerman - placed fifth at last year's state meet as juniors with a time of 58.65.

The benefit of being able to keep a relay team intact is huge, maybe even more so with four seniors. That continuity helps perfect handoffs, rhythm and timing.

“It's a tremendous advantage,” said Carey, adding that the group spent the time lifting weights and training before practice started. “They were excited to get going well before the season.”

Romerman ran especially well, adding a victory in the 110 hurdles.

Linn-Mar's Brandon Ophoff, who owns the best times in the state in the 110 and 400 hurdles, didn't compete last night. He was also missed on the Lions' shuttle hurdle relay team, which finished 2.5 seconds off its season-best in sixth place.

The meet at City's Raffensperger Track almost resembled the 4A state meet - only four weeks earlier. Four of the top five boys' teams and three of the top five girls' teams in the state competed in Iowa City.

The Little Hawk girls won with 151 points, followed by West (110), Waukee (104) and West Des Moines Valley (97).

City's Meg Richardson won the 3,000 run with a personal-best 10:20.99 - a 32-second improvement from earlier this season.

The Little Hawks also had first-place finishes from Kiera Wasphun (high jump), Aliyah Gustafson (shot put and discus), Claire Crew (200) and Sarah Plock (400 hurdles).

“The event brings out the best,” City Coach Tom Mittman said. “It's an impressive meet. It would be a good Division III college meet.”

The Iowa City West boys racked up 165 points to take first, followed by City (115) and Linn-Mar (78).

Armando Williams led the Trojans with victories in the 100 and 200.

Linn-Mar's Josh Evans won the 3,200 with a Forwald-record 9:20.64