Williamsburg gets another relay win in 2A boys’ state track meet

DES MOINES — Williamsburg’s Owen Douglas settled on a single word to describe the late stages of his team’s win Saturday in the 400-meter relay.

“Phenomenal,” the junior anchor said during the Class 2A boys’ state track and field meet at Drake Stadium.

Fast, too. Douglas closed the race with a flourish, helping the Raiders triumph in a season-best time of 43.20 seconds.

He powered past third-place West Sioux and second-place Roland-Story to secure his team’s second relay win of the weekend.

Douglas also served as the anchor for the Raiders’ victory Friday in the 800-meter relay.

“Having experience chasing guys down just gives you confidence,” Douglas said. “And I felt pretty confident with Roland-Story and (West Sioux) in front of me. I just know I’m that guy and I just have to go chase them.”

Tipton freshmen Clay Bohlmann knew he couldn’t win the 1,600-meter run as it reached its conclusion, but third place sounded a lot better than fourth, so he kicked in at the right time.

“I guess I had a little bit more than that kid right ahead of me,” said Bohlmann, who finished behind Des Moines Christian’s Aaron Fynaardt and Carson Houg.

Bohlmann also helped the Tigers win the 3,200-meter relay for the first time in 20 years. And his brother, Cody, a senior, joined him in that victorious effort.

“That was by far my most favorite race,” Clay Bohlmann said. “It will be one I’ll remember forever.”

He plans to build on such memories. Clay said finding a way to dig deep to earn third when victory was out of reach will serve him well down the road.

“To be honest, I didn’t really think I had what it took there,” he said. “I didn’t trust myself at the beginning and then we came across the 800 and I got a little confidence on my shoulders. It made me want to push through to the end of that and get that spot.”

» Saturday’s Iowa high school state track and field results