Western Dubuque ‘executes,’ wins Class 3A boys’ state track 4x800 relay

DES MOINES — Eli Naumann politely placed a time limit on a postrace interview.

“I just have a couple of minutes,” he said. “I need to do a quick cool-down, lower my heart race and get ready for the next one.”

Naumann opened a quick two-race, short-turnaround stint with a bang Thursday evening at Drake Stadium, anchoring Western Dubuque’s 3,200-meter relay to a Class 3A boys’ championship at the state track and field meet.

Brenden Begle, Nathan Williams, Dylan Schroeder and Naumann ran in 7 minutes, 59.41 seconds, nearly 5 seconds ahead of runner-up Dallas Center-Grimes.

“Our goal was to come in, give (the baton) to Eli in the lead,” Schroeder said. “Once we did that, it was good that we were going to get there.”

The splits were consistent: 2:00.6 for Begle, 2:01.2 for Williams, 2:00.5 for Schroeder. Naumann polished it off in 1:56.9.

“We came in here pumped,” Begle said. “We knew what we had to do, and we executed.”

Naumann then cooled off and refocused for the 400-meter race, in which he finished seventh.

Elijah Morris of Washington (Iowa) won it, in 48.96 seconds. Morris was running in Lane 6, but was able to ignore what was going on behind him, on the inside of the track.

“I didn’t want it to get in my head and affect my race,” he said.

“This is awesome. I couldn’t have asked for anything more. I’m blessed to be part of the Demons.

“I went out there and started hard. I knew the end was going to suck because of the wind.”

Morris’ win — and a runner-up finish by Brayden Hartman in the discus — moved Washington into the 3A boys’ lead at the end of Day 1.

The Demons have 23 points and pace a tight pack through five events. Dallas Center-Grimes is second with 21, followed by Pella (20.5) and Newton (20).

Marion’s Shane Erb has a ritual that he saves for Drake Stadium.

No socks.

“I think that tradition is ending today,” the senior said, looking down at a blister.

Erb knew he was “a long shot” in the 3,200-meter race, but he went after it anyway.

He hung with Dallas Center-Grimes’ Aidan Ramsey and Newton’s Jackson Mace-Maynard through 4 1/2 laps before settling for third place.

Erb ran in 9 minutes, 39.82 seconds. Ramsey won it in 9:22.64; Mace-Maynard was second in 9:30.71.

“I never go into a race thinking I’m going to lose,” Erb said. “It was hard out there today, man. I had nothing today, but I’m not mad about third place.”

The area 3-4-5 area finish by Erb, Washington’s Lance Sobaski and Center Point-Urbana’s Eli Larson — all Wartburg College recruits — was an early-afternoon highlight.

Thursday results: Class 3A boys

Top 10 teams (through 5 events) — 1. Washington 23, 2. Dallas Center-Grimes 21, 3. Pella 20.5, 4. Newton 20, 5. Western Dubuque 15, 6. (tie) Dubuque Wahlert and Charles City 10, 8. MOC-Floyd Valley 9. (tie) North Polk and Marion 8.

High jump — 1. Ian Collins (Charles City), 6-9; 2. Jack Noble (North Polk), 6-8; 3. Keith Moko (Newton), 6-4; 5. Tye Hardin (Maquoketa), 6-2.

Discus — 1. Duke Faley (Dubuque Wahlert), 165-9; 2. Brayden Hartman (Washington), 156-0; 3. Josiah Bundt (MOC-Floyd Valley), 152-3; 5. Joseph Hjelle (Decorah), 150-11; 6. Dakota Hoffman (Western Dubuque), 150-10; 7. Zach Sidles (Independence), 148-1.

3,200 — 1. Aidan Ramsey (Dallas Center-Grimes), 9:22.64; 2. Jackson Mace-Maynard (Newton), 9:30.71; 3. Shane Erb (Marion), 9:39.82; 4. Lance Sobaski (Washington), 9:47.72; 5. Eli Larson (Center Point-Urbana), 9:54.06; 7. Jedidiah Osgood (Marion), 9:56.41.

3,200 relay — 1. Western Dubuque (Begle, Williams, Schroeder, Naumann), 7:59.41; 2. Dallas Center-Grimes, 8:04.22; 3. Newton, 8:04.50; 5. Mount Vernon, 8:10.15; 7. South Tama, 8:13.91.

400 — 1. Elijah Morris (Washington), 48.96; 2. Karl Miller (Pella), 49.48; 3. River Patterson (Fairfield), 49.65; 4. Jeremy Bachus (Solon), 49.74; 7. Eli Naumann (Western Dubuque), 49.93.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com