March 18, 2024

Area athletes earn spots at state meet

EDDYVILLE — Several Clarke and Central Decatur track and field athletes enjoyed stellar nights at Thursday’s co-ed state qualifying track and field meet.

Clarke’s girls qualified in three events. Caitlin Clark earned a spot in the 400-meter dash. Bailey Zimmerman and Solana Zimmerman each earned spots again, qualifying in the 100 hurdles. The shuttle hurdle relay quartet of Chynna Beydler, Ashlynn Oehlert, Bailey Zimmerman and Solanna Zimmerman also qualified.

“I could not have been more proud of my girls,” said Clarke girls coach Christa Subbert. “They all ran very well.”

The shuttle hurdle relay qualified with a time of 1:08.69, by far their season’s best.

Bailey Zimmerman finished the 100 hurdles in 15.85 and Solanna Zimmerman in 16.09, both personal bests for the season.

Clark battled through an injury-plagued season, dealing with a knee ailment. She ran the open 400 for the second time and finished in 1:04.61.

“She ran through the pain and ended up getting second,” Subbert said.

Smiles abounded among the girls after they knew they qualified for state.

“It’s always really exciting to make it to state,” Subbert said. “The girls that made it were super excited and the girls that didn’t were equally excited for the girls that were going.”

Bailey Zimmerman has now qualified for state for four years in both the shuttle hurdle and 100 hurdles. Solanna Zimmerman has qualified for the shuttle hurdle relay for four years and the 100 hurdles for three years.

“These girls have been great to work with the past two years,” Subbert said. “They have great personalities and great leadership qualities.”

Beydler and Oehlert are second-time qualifiers in the shuttle hurdle relay.

Clark is at state for the first time. Hollie Miler is an alternate on the shuttle hurdle relay.

Miler has been counted on this season filling in for injuries.

“She has done a great job filling in this year when we were dealing with injuries and illnesses,” Subbert said.

The Lady Indians qualifiers have big goals for this weekend on the blue oval at Drake Stadium.

“Expectations at state are just to have fun,” Subbert said. “We want to PR in our events.”

Coming home with hardware would mean much to the qualifiers.

“To medal at state would be very rewarding,” Subbert said. “I’m really looking forward to see what these girls girls can do on the blue oval.”

Clarke’s boys took the top two spots and earned spots at state.

Brian Avalos won the long jump with a leap of 20 feet, seven inches. Payton Winship was second with a leap of 19-8.25.

Central Decatur’s girls and boys had several events qualify.

On the boys side, the shuttle hurdle relay quartet of Tyler Davis, Cole Pedersen, Cauy Spidle and Carter Boothe won with a time of 1:00.68.

The time is second best in Class 2A heading into state, only behind Cherokee.

“Tyler Davis, Cole Pedersen, Cauy Spidle, and Carter Boothe take great pride in their craft and are excited to compete at the state level,” said Central Decatur coach Jon Pedersen.

Winning at the state qualifying meet continued the group’s run of success this season. The group has yet to to lose this season.

“The shuttle hurdle team is very confident that we can compete very well at state,” Pedersen said. “We have been in the top five in the state the entire year and had the second fastest time coming in, so we have high hopes,” coach Pedersen said.

Spidle has been nursing injuries since becoming the first Cardinal to compete at the Drake Relays.

Spidle overcame the injuries to earn a spot at state, finishing second with a leap of 6-1.

Even with a foot injury, Spidle looks to be in the mix. He has jumped 6-4 this season.

“Cauy’s goal is to place,” coach Pedersen said. “We are still monitoring his foot injury but feel confident he will be in the mix at state.”

On the girls side, two Central Decatur athletes will compete in two events.

Emma Atwood was second in the high jump and earned an automatic qualifying spot with a leap of 5-2. Raegan Boothe was fifth with a leap of 5-0, but earned an at-large spot.

Atwood was third behind the Zimmerman sisters from Clarke with a time of 16.23, but earned a spot as an at-large entrant.

Murray’s Jones earns state berth

EARLHAM — Murray senior Jack Jones has not been fully healthy in quite some time.

He’s battled through a foot injury recently, and had not competed in the long jump or ran for the past two weeks.

He put the pain behind him when it mattered the most.

Jones uncorked a leap of 19-4.5 to win by and inch and a half over Colfax-Mingo’s Reegan Van Dyke, who was second with a leap of 19-3.

Jones was Murray’s lone automatic qualifier on either the girls or boys side.

“It was a goal of mine this year,” Jones said. “I wanted to get back there. It just feels good to get back there.”

Jones had to wait a considerable amount of time to see if he had won, as Van Dyke waited to complete his final jump after competing in the high jump.

Van Dyke’s final attempt fell short.

“It was kind of a relief,” Jones said. “It feels good to be back there. I wanted to make it especially for the school.

Jones qualified for state as a sophomore, but an injury-riddled junior campaign cost him another opportunity to compete in Des Moines.

He wasn’t going to let an injury derail those dreams of state in his final state qualifying meet.

“He is not the kind of kid who wants to sit out,” said Murray coach Keith Shields. “I’m excited for Jack to return to Drake with an opportunity to jump.”