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Pekin girls 4X800 team makes history
Fariss, Derscheid, Dahlstrom and Eubanks bring home Panthers’ first 4X800 title, Pope takes 4th in discus
DES MOINES — History didn’t wait to show it’s face on Thursday at the 2022 state track meet in Des Moines.
Pekin’s Makenzie Dahlstrom hugs teammate Lauren Derscheid after the Panthers’ 4X800-meter relay championship on Thursday at the state track and field meet. (Andy Krutsinger/The Union)
As fans were still pouring in to Drake Stadium, Pekin’s quartet of Audrey Farris, Lauren Derscheid, Makenzie Dahlsrtom and Sarah Eubanks were celebrating the school’s first 4X800 championship ever.
The Panthers crossed the finish line in 9 minutes, 55.02 seconds, just edging South Winneshiek for the title
“This is my last time with these three, so I'm really glad we came across the finish line first,” said sophomore Audrey Fariss. “It's the best feeling I've ever felt.”
Pekin’s 4X800-meter relay team, pictured left to right: Makenzie Dahlstrom, Lauren Derscheid, Audrey Fariss and Sarah Eubanks. (Andy Krutsinger/The Union)
The race stayed tight for Fariss’ first leg. Derscheid, one of three seniors in the group, took the second leg right to the front of the race.
“I love having competition to run after,” Derscheid said. “At state, there is obviously a lot of really good competition, so I was really excited for that.”
Dahlstrom and Eubanks did the rest.
“It was so exciting,” Dahlstrom said. “We’re just such a close team. It’s kind of surreal to feel.”
Eubanks held off South Winneshiek’s Eryn Sabelka in a two-horse race to the line.
Sarah Eubanks runs ahead of the field during the final leg of the 2022 Class 1A girls’ 4X800-meter relay championship. (Andy Krutsinger/The Union)
“It was very, very cool,” Eubanks said. “This is a very special moment.”
Pope takes 4th in discus
Senior thrower Kerrigan Pope gave the Panthers a big boost in the discus throw. In her final competition ever, Pope threw the discus 126 feet, 02 inches for fourth place overall.
Pekin’s Kerrigan Pope hurls the discus during the 2022 state track and field meet on Friday. (Andy Krutsinger/The Union)
“It's my last time,” said an emotional Pope after the event wrapped up. “I've had the best support between my parents and my coaches.”
Pope saved her best for last, 126-02 on her last throw. She also competed in the shot put, throwing it 33-10.50 for 13th.
The Pekin girls picked up more points in Saturday’s 4X400 finals. The group of Claire Roth, Dahlstrom, Fariss and Eubanks took fifth in the race, running in 4:10.80. Their qualifying time on Friday night was 4:12.42, which had seeded them sixth.
Pekin’s non-scorers were Eubanks getting 14th in the 400-meter dash, Derscheid finishing 15th in the 1500, Lauren Steigleder taking 16th in the 3000, Pope finishing 13th in the shot put and the girls’ distance medley team of Lilly Reneker, Roth, Dahlstrom and Derscheid finishing 13th.
The Pekin boys failed to score at this year’s state meet. Jaedon Wolver’s 15th-place in the 400-meter hurdles was the Panthers’ best finish. The 4X400 team of Logan Baker, Luke Long, Zack Wise and Wolver finished 22nd.
The distance medley squad of Kevin Rohr, Chase Stansberry, Wise and Wolver was 22nd. Both Long and Wolver failed to reach a heigh in the high jump.
