Whitaker helps lead Mount Vernon to Class 3A state-qualifying victory

MOUNT VERNON — Kory Swart termed it “in the zone.”

The Mount Vernon girls’ track and field coach has watched in awe as his junior sprinter, CaliAna Whitaker, has broken the school record in the 200-meter dash in each of her last two meets.

“She’s really confident and you’re seeing that on the track,” Swart said after Mount Vernon won the team title at a Class 3A state-qualifying meet Thursday at Mount Vernon High School. “Hopefully she can carry that again next week into the state meet and I really believe she will. She’s doing wonderful stuff for us.”

At last week’s Wamac Conference championships, Whitaker set a new Mount Vernon standard in the 200 by claiming the conference crown in 25.23 seconds. She bettered that mark by seven hundredths of a second to earn a spot at the state meet for the third year in a row.

“I’m very pleased,” Whitaker said. “It was a good night to run.”

In her other signature event – the 400-yard dash – Whitaker edged Williamsburg’s Ava Hocker by 13 hundredths of a second to finish first in 57.62.

As a freshman two years ago, Whitaker finished sixth at state in the 200 and then duplicated that placement last year in the 400. She will attempt to better both marks when the state meet begins May 22 at Drake Stadium in Des Moines.

“I’m always going back for more,” Whitaker said. “Every time. … Even though it is an accomplishment, I am really, really hard on myself so I always want more. Even though I was proud to place, every time I go back I want to prove my name even more. Prove people wrong. Place even higher.”

Mount Vernon (167 points) won eight events overall and finished 43 points ahead of runner-up Williamsburg for the girls’ team title, while Newton (178) claimed the boys’ crown over Mount Vernon (102).

The Mount Vernon girls had a second double-event winner in individual events when sophomore distance standout Evelyn Moeller won both the 800-meter run (2:21.79) and the 1500 (4:42.58). Moeller entered Thursday ranked first in 3A in the 800.

“She has just been leading us the whole way and setting such a great example,” Swart said. “And she is continuing to do so. I am just looking forward to seeing what she is going to do next week, as well. I’m super excited for her.”

Mount Vernon also triumphed in a pair of relays – the 3200 and the distance medley – while senior Sydney Maue won the high jump (5-10) and junior Edith Dawson was a surprising victor in the 3000 run.

“We knew that was kind of wide open and she took advantage of the opportunity and got it,” Swart said. “Good for her.”

Girls’ track and field

CLASS 3A STATE-QUALIFYING MEET

At Mount Vernon

Teams – 1. Mount Vernon 167; 2. Williamsburg 124; 3. Newton 116; 4. Solon 105; 5. Washington 95; 6. Grinnell 59; 7. Benton Community 49; 8. South Tama 22.

High jump — 1. Sydney Maue (Mount Vernon), 5-10; 2. Ellie Nielsen (Williamsburg), 5-5; 3. Isla Nielsen (Williamsburg), 5-0.

Shot put – 1. Ana Glawe (Benton Community), 38-8; 2. Libby Dix (Mount Vernon), 37-6; 3. Kate Shafer (Solon), 36-11.75.

Long jump — 1. Aiden Gosselink (Grinnell), 20-3; 2. Lucy Wischmeyer (Mount Vernon), 17-6.25; 3. Abby Bruce (Newton), 16-4.

Discus — 1. Kate Shafer (Solon), 130-8; 2. Libby Dix (Mount Vernon), 127-5; 3. Lauren Louden (Grinnell), 117-2.

Sprint medley relay — 1. Williamsburg (Uhlmann, Hughes, Wetjen, Hocker), 1:47.48; 2. Mount Vernon (Haverback, Hale, Swantz, Whitaker), 1:49.39; 3. Newton, 1:49.98.

3000 run – 1. Edith Dawson (Mount Vernon), 11:29.18; 2. Channing Becker (Williamsburg), 11:30.13; 3. Audrey Muckler (Newton), 11:30.54.

3200 relay — 1. Mount Vernon (Schoff, Hoffert, Rupe, Moeller), 9:53.50; 2. Newton (Barton, Malow, Riney, Winther), 10:01.50; 3. Williamsburg (Axmear, Hoffman, Wilde, Becker), 10:09.56.

Shuttle hurdle relay — 1. Newton (Klein, Lampe, Sims, White), 1:05.78; 2. Washington (Salazar, Green, Hinrichsen, Messinger), 1:08.16; 3. Benton Community (Sadler, Werner, Moore, Seeck), 1:08.44.

100 dash — 1. Aiden Gosselink (Grinnell), 12.46; 2. Ailea Wetjen (Williamsburg), 12.51; 3. Lauren Clarke (Newton), 12.80.

Distance medley relay — 1. Mount Vernon (Wischmeyer, Swantz, Whisner, Swart), 4:18.65; 2. Solon (Stahle, Hoeper, Hahn, Svalstad), 4:20.86; 3. Williamsburg (Murray, Hughes, Spratt, Axmear), 4:27.73.

400 dash — 1. CaliAna Whitaker (Mount Vernon), 57.62; 2. Ava Hocker (Williamsburg), 57.75; 3. Jerzey Haluska (Solon), 1:00.15.

800 relay — 1. Newton (Klein, Rivera, Bruce, Clarke), 1:45.03; 2. Solon (Stahle, Hoeper, Ashbacker, Lietz), 1:46.66; 3. Washington (Sands, Green, Salazar, Moore), 1:50.00.

100 hurdles — 1. Tori White (Newton), 15.68; 2. Leighton Messinger (Washington), 15.91; 3. Macy Lampe (Newton), 16.04.

800 run — 1. Evelyn Moeller (Mount Vernon), 2:21.79; 2. Sam Schoff (Mount Vernon), 2:26.82; 3. Bella Winther (Newton), 2:28.19.

200 dash — 1. CaliAna Whitaker (Mount Vernon), 25.16; 2. Aiden Gosselink (Grinnell), 25.36; 3. Ailea Wetjen (Williamsburg), 26.00.

400 hurdles — 1. Ava Hocker (Williamsburg), 1:05.05; 2. Eastin Whisner (Mount Vernon), 1:07.25; 3. Leighton Messinger (Washington), 1:08.11.

1500 run — 1. Evelyn Moeller (Mount Vernon), 4:58.67; 2. Iris Dahl (Washington), 4:59.62; 3. Kiersten Swart (Mount Vernon), 5:06.17.

400 relay — 1. Grinnell (Stephenson, Flander, Louden, Gosselink), 48.65; 2. Washington (Green, Moore, Salazar, Messinger), 49.32; 3. Williamsburg (Uhlmann, Hocker, Hughes, Wetjen), 49.89.

1600 relay — 1. Solon (Armentrout, Haluska, Hoeper, Hahn), 4:06.47; 2. Mount Vernon (Swantz, Moeller, Telecky, Whitaker), 4:07.98; 3. Washington (Drahota, Villa, Horak, Hinrichsen), 4:12.54.

Boys’ track and field

CLASS 3A STATE-QUALIFYING MEET

At Mount Vernon

Teams – 1. Newton 178; 2. Mount Vernon 102; 3. Grinnell 94; 4. Washington 88; 5. Solon 80; 6. Williamsburg 71; 7. Benton Community 69; 8. South Tama 48.

Long jump — 1. Rayce Heitman (Williamsburg), 22-2.50; 2. Alameen Shanto (Newton), 21-6.75; 3. Caleb Bock (Solon), 21-4.50.

Discus — 1. Greyson Hartman (Washington), 173-1; 2. Cameron Corey (Grinnell), 150-7; 3. Nick Milburn (Newton), 149-1.

High jump — 1. Eli Patterson (Benton Community), 6-8; 2. Kaden Hoeper (Solon), 6-4; 3. Albert Bamrick (Williamsburg), 6-3.

Shot put – 1. Greyson Hartman (Washington), 55-4.50; 2. Nick Milburn (Newton), 54-11.25; 3. Timmothy Chandonia (South Tama), 50-8.75.

Sprint medley relay — 1. Newton (Thomason, Trease, Ergenbright, Klein), 1:32.00; 2. Williamsburg (Bamrick, Wetjen, Heitman, Hocker), 1:32.12; 3. Grinnell, 1:36.68.

3200 run – 1. Cadell Conner (Grinnell), 9:56.25; 2. Lance Zaabel (Newton), 10:20.51; 3. Barrett Jesina (South Tama), 10:28.25.

3200 relay — 1. Mount Vernon (O'Connor, Caskey, Olberding, Scheil), 8:08.02; 2. Washington (McDole, Tschantz, Ryan, Alderton), 8:10.25; 3. Solon (Brandt, Young, Raasch, Michels), 8:27.38.

Shuttle hurdle relay — 1. Newton (Lampe, Bauer, Bauer, Arauz), 1:01.58; 2. Benton Community (Von Ahsen, Patterson, Schanbacher, Patterson), 1:01.84; 3. Solon (Bigelow, Moore, Sieverding, Carney), 1:07.96.

100 dash — 1. Caden Klein (Newton), 11.15; 2. Nick Thomason (Newton), 11.28; 3. Eli Kampman (Solon), 11.49.

Distance medley relay — 1. Mount Vernon (Bentley, Stanerson, Hlavacek, Olberding), 3:37.86; 2. Grinnell (Perkins, Ringler, Mahoney, Laug), 3:38.84; 3. Washington (Shepherd, Gomez Valdez, McDole, Alderton), 3:39.29.

400 dash — 1. Rayce Heitman (Williamsburg), 50.27; 2. Grant Hocker (Williamsburg), 50.31; 3. Dawson Maki (Newton), 53.62.

800 relay — 1. Newton (Thomason, Trease, Yahia, Ergenbright), 1:28.68; 2. Benton Community (Brooks, Pugh, Schanbacher, Von Ahsen), 1:30.91; 3. Mount Vernon (Stanerson, Lee, Lamb, Bentley), 1:32.34.

110 hurdles — 1. Reilly Trease (Newton), 15.14; 2. Austin Arauz (Newton), 15.55; 3. Eli Patterson (Benton Community), 15.67.

800 run — 1. Harrison Laug (Grinnell), 1:59.89; 2. Dawson Scheil (Mount Vernon), 1:59.98; 3. Tyler Alderton (Washington), 2:02.60.

200 dash — 1. Caden Klein (Newton), 22.09; 2. Christian Ergenbright (Newton), 22.43; 3. Eli Kampman (Solon), 23.10.

400 hurdles — 1. Caden Klein (Newton), 54.20; 2. Owen Von Ahsen (Benton Community), 54.21; 3. Cade Bauer (Newton), 56.21.

1600 run — 1. Grady Olberding (Mount Vernon), 4:32.38; 2. Cadel Conner (Grinnell), 4:32.85; 3. Chasen Caskey (Mount Vernon), 4:36.53.

400 relay — 1. Newton (Thomason, Trease, Yahia, Ergenbright), 42.69; 2. Grinnell (Perkins, Ringler, Mahoney, Pavey), 43.84; 3. South Tama (Henry, Blocker, Clegg, Upah), 44.16.

1600 relay — 1. Williamsburg (Hocker, Banos, Brummel, Heitman), 3:24.36; 2. Benton Community (Brooks, Pugh, Schanbacher, Von Ahsen), 3:24.74; 3. Mount Vernon (Hlavacek, Scheil, Lamb, Lee), 3:28.14

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