Hocker shines in 400 hurdles

DES MOINES — The 400-meter hurdles is an event that has grown on Williamsburg’s Ava Hocker.

Finishing runner-up in the Class 3A girls’ race Friday at the State Track and Field meet at Drake Stadium in Des Moines certainly helps.

“It’s kind of hard not to finishing runner-up” Hocker said on the event. “It’s growing on me. I just like how there not to much pressure and there’s checkmarks along the way.“

Friday was Hocker’s fifth time competing in the event.

Down the homestretch, it was a battle for second between three runners.

“I was a little nervous. I don’t usually see people going in front of me,” Hocker said.

Hocker surged over the last hurdle to finish second by nearly half a second.

“Going over the last hurdle, I knew I could beat them out,” said Hocker.

Following day two, the Williamsburg girls were tied for eighth with 16 team points. The boys were tied for 19th with seven points.

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Area results

Class 3A

Girls

Shot put — 19. Lilly Ness (Williamsburg), 34-8 1/2

400 hurdles — 2. Ava Hocker (Williamsburg), 1:03.34

4x100 prelims — 16. Williamsburg (Uhlmann, Hocker, Hughes, Wetjen), 50.02

Boys

Long jump — 11. Rayce Heitman (Williamsburg), 21-6 1/2

4x400 prelims — 23. Williamsburg (Hocker, Banos, Brummel, Heitman), 3:32.54

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