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Roberts finishes runner-up in high jump
Williamsburg girls sprint medley places seventh, sets school record
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
DES MOINES — HLV-TC’s Ema Roberts’ runner-up finish in the girls’ high jump at the 2025 Drake Relays Friday almost wasn’t.
Roberts cleared the opening height of five, feet and two inches with ease, but had struggles at the following bar.
In the chilly conditions, clearing the opening bars was an issue. Twenty athletes did not make it past the first two heights.
“It was not great, but it was better than some meets we have had in rain and wind,” Roberts said on the conditions.
At five feet, four inches, Roberts hit the bar on her first two jumps. On her elimination jump, she cleared the bar and joined nine others to the next height.
“I was just telling myself that I did not want to leave here jumping only 5-2,” said Roberts. “I wasn’t going to feel happy with myself if I did not hit that height.”
Roberts cleared five, feet six inches on her first attempt, clinching a top three finish, as seven failed to clear the bar.
“I really wanted to push at 5-6 and get it right away,” Roberts said. “I wanted to show I wasn’t messing around.”
Roberts finished tied for runner-up. Only ADM’s London Warmuth cleared five feet, seven inches.
The runner-up finish is an improvement on Robert’s fifth-place finish last season.
“It feels good,” Roberts said on her runner-up finish. “It was my goal coming in to make podium and do better than last year.”
Roberts hopes to carry the momentum into the rest of the season, which includes defending her 1A title. The Warriors senior is currently the only 1A athlete to clear five feet, seven inches this season.
“Hoping to get the mental aspect better the rest of the season,” said Roberts. “I’ve had a little bit of a rough last two weeks hitting the marks I usually do.”
The Williamsburg girls’ sprint medley relay team was the other place winner from the area.
The Raiders came in seeded seventh and had to run a new school record 1:48.61 to claim seventh place overall Friday morning.
It was done with the quartet of Gracelyn Uhlmann, Makenna Hughes, Ailea Weten and Ava Hocker.
Hocker closed in a 57.39 on the 400-meter leg and was handed the baton by the senior Wetjen, who ran the 200 leg.
“I knew I had to get out hot and finish the best that I could in order for something to happen,” Wetjen said.
The Raiders now sit at second in Class 3A in the event.
“Really proud of how everyone executed,” Hocker said. “It was really cool to set the school record with two seniors (Hughes and Wetjen) for the last time at the Drake Relays. It’s become one of my favorite relays and we are hoping to do good with it at state.”
The Raiders are certainly posed to make some noise in the event come the postseason.
“We have put in lots of work this season and it’s great to see it pay off,” said Wetjen. “I am confident we will do more great things in the remainder of the season.”
