Trojans 'kind of have it all'

CEDAR RAPIDS -- The Iowa City West boys' track team is a melting pot of excellence.

Iowa City West's Lucas Brenneman, (left), Andrew Gilbaugh, and Xavier's Josh Nelson, are neck and neck in the 110 meter shuttle hurdles at the Mississippi Valley Conference Valley Divisional Track and Field Championship, at Kingston Stadium, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Friday, May 4, 2012. (Nikole Hanna/The Gazette-KCRG)

"We've got our senior sprinters, and we've got our distance underclassmen," said Armando Williams, a member of the former group. "We kind of have it all."

West won nine events and rolled to the MVC Valley Division championship Friday at Kingston Stadium.

The Trojans tallied 169 points. Cedar Falls was second with 118, followed by Cedar Rapids Xavier (94) and Cedar Rapids Prairie (82).

Cedar Falls' James Harrington was the athlete of the year after winning the 200 and anchoring the Tigers' 400-meter relay to victory. But Harrington -- the Drake Relays most outstanding male athlete last week -- wasn't nearly enough to offset West's all-around prowess.

"I don't want to put a target on our backs," Williams said. "But, yeah, we're pretty good. We thought we'd be the team to beat."

Nobody came close.

Williams won three of the four events he entered. The senior -- he'll play football and run track at Iowa Western Community College -- won the 100-meter dash and ran on the Trojans' triumphant 800- and 1,600-meter relays.

Harrington beat him in the 200.

"I really do like running against him," Williams said. "It gives me where I'm at as we get closer to the state meet.

"I tightened up a little before the race. And the 100, I was thinking too much."

Charles Rogers won the 400-meter dash and the 400 hurdles, then anchored West home in the 1,600 relay. The Trojans also got titles from Tavian Smith in the long jump, Lucas Brenneman in the 110 hurdles and the 3,200-meter and shuttle hurdle relays.

Cedar Rapids Xavier's Alec Clasen, takes first place in the high jump at the Mississippi Valley Conference Valley Divisional Track and Field Championship with a jump of 6'2'', at Kingston Stadium, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Friday, May 4, 2012. (Nikole Hanna/The Gazette-KCRG)

Prairie's Jacob Aune and Xavier's Craig Murtha were Metro double winners.

Aune swept the distance events, including a strong second half of the 1,600 to win it in 4:29.47.

"I knew it was going to be a battle," Aune said. "I had a feeling Bailey (Wetherell) was going to surge on the (third lap).

"I feel really good, really strong right now. My training has really worked."

Murtha won both throwing events. The Saints won three of four field events -- Alec Clasen was the high jump champion -- and also claimed the medley relay.

Jefferson's Timauntay Jones had one of the best races of the night, winning the 800 in 1:55.84.

MVC VALLEY DIVISION BOYS' TRACK

At Kingston Stadium

Teams -- 1. Iowa City West 169, 2. Cedar Falls 118, 3. C.R. Xavier 94, 4. C.R. Prairie 82, 5. C.R. Jefferson 56, 6. Dubuque Hempstead 35, 7. Waterloo East 4.

Shot put -- 1. Craig Murtha (CRX), 49-11; 2. Ross Pierschbacher (CF), 49-10; 3. Josh Williams (CRP), 47-11; Discus -- 1. Craig Murtha (CRX), 149-4; 2. Joseph Weiner (DH), 140-8; 3. Sam Techau (CRJ), 130-8; High jump -- 1. Alec Clasen (CRX), 6-2; 2. Kalund Brown (CF), 6-0; 3. Marquis Busch (CF), 6-0; Long jump -- 1. Tavian Smith (ICW), 21-6 1/2; 2. Charles Rogers (ICW), 21-5; 3. Haakon Wilz (CRP), 20-5.

3,200 -- 1. Jacob Aune (CRP), 9:45.73; 2. Daniel Gardarsson (ICW), 9:47.31; 3. Mitch Pritts (CRP), 9:54.93; 3,200 relay -- 1. Iowa City West (Greiner, Hatzky, Rozeboom, Wetherell), 8:10.64; 2. Dubuque Hempstead, 8:23.14; 3. Cedar Falls, 8:23.52; Shuttle hurdle relay -- 1. Iowa City West (Gilbaugh, Brenneman, Young, Goode), 59.38; 2. Cedar Falls, 1:01.22; 3. C.R. Prairie, 1:02.17; 100 -- 1. Armando Williams (ICW), 11.40; 2. Nick Steingreaber (CRX), 11.44; 3. Luke Toyosi (CF), 11.59; 400 -- 1. Charles Rogers (ICW), 50.17; 2. Austin Dellamuth (CRP), 50.22; 3. Shane Shaddox (CF), 50.52; 800 relay -- 1. Iowa City West (Smith, Goode, Bryant, Williams), 1:29.20; 2. C.R. Xavier, 1:30.77; 3. C.R. Jefferson, 1:31.56; 110 hurdles -- 1. Lucas Brenneman (ICW), 15.72; 2. Haakon Wilz (CRP), 15.79; 3. Josh Nelson (CRX), 15.92; 1,600 -- 1. Jacob Aune (CRP), 4:29.47; 2. Bailey Wetherell (ICW), 4:30.16; 3. Lincoln Rozeboom (ICW), 4:37.28; 200 -- 1. James Harrington (CF), 22.17; 2. Armando Williams (ICW), 22.59; 3. Nick Ball (CRX), 22.95; 400 hurdles -- 1. Charles Rogers (ICW), 54.96; 2. Austin Cuvelier (CF), 56.03; 3. Noah Clasen (CRX), 56.04; 1,600 medley relay -- 1. C.R. Xavier (Ball, Weber, Stovie, Gradoville), 3:42.54; 2. Cedar Falls, 3:42.86; 3. Iowa City West, 3:44.93; 800 -- 1. Timauntay Jones (CRJ), 1:55.84; 2. Bailey Wetherell (ICW), 2:02.50; 3. Kaleb Griner (ICW), 2:04.65; 400 relay -- 1. Cedar Falls (Hagarty, Toyosi, Dowell, Harrington), 42.56; 2. C.R. Xavier, 42.78; 3. C.R. Jefferson, 43.46; 1,600 relay -- 1. Iowa City West (Noureldaim, Smith, Williams, Rogers), 3:23.67; 2. C.R. Prairie, 3:25.09; 3. Cedar Falls, 3:25.28.