Several local student-athletes earned podium spots and medals during Thursday’s opening sessions of the IHSAA and IGHSAU Track & Field State Championships.
In the morning session, Grundy Center junior Emerson Vokes got the morning started by winning the 2A 3200 championship in 9:27.66.
The Aplington-Parkersburg boys 4×800 of Titan Verrett, Sully Janssen, Caleb Campbell and Trevan Thomas earned a runner-up finish by shattering a program record in 7:57.71. Thomas says it’s the culmination of a fantastic season.
Grundy Center’s Brayden Davie placed eighth in the 400, finishing in 50.02.
In the throws, Hampton-Dumont-CAL senior Charlee Morton came short of defending her back-to-back 3A girls discus titles. She placed third with a best throw of 139-01.
Iowa Falls-Alden’s Alivia Tupper earned a medal by placing eighth in the 2A girls shot put with a best throw of 38-06.
Several locals qualified for the finals in preliminary races. Aplington-Parkersburg’s Ella Buttjer advanced to the finals in both the 2A girls 100 and 200. She placed seventh in the 200 in a program record 25.57 and was sixth in the 100 in 12.54.
Grundy Center’s Ava Heeren placed fifth in the 100 in 12.51 to qualify for the finals. The Spartan boys shuttle hurdle relay ran a PR of 59.95 to place third and advance to the finals.
The meet will continue Friday and Saturday.
