Williamsburg track teams shine at Jane Astor Co-ed Relays

It was a good night on the track for the Williamsburg girls and boys Thursday, April 6, as they combined to win six events — three apiece — in the Jane Astor Co-ed Relays at Clear Creek Amana High School in Tiffin. No team scores were kept.

The Raider girls got championship performances from Elle Ridgeway in the shot put (36-2), Natalie Bemer in the 800-meter run (2:38.43) and the distance medley relay team of Makenna Hughes, Tayler Long, Shannon Finn and Macey Marovets (4:21.99). Long and Marovets ran personal record splits of 27.9 (200) and 2:23.1 (800).

Winners for the Williamsburg boys were Trey O'Neil in the high jump (6-2) and the 4 x 100 and 4 x 200-meter relay teams.

Carson Huedepohl, Kellen Cockrell, Braylon Wetjen and Owen Douglas claimed the 4 x 1 title in 43.92, and O'Neil, Huedepohl, Wetjen and Cockrell wore the 4 x 2 crown in 1:31.53.

In addition to those victories, the Raiders received runner-up finishes from Tori Yunggebauer in the girls' 3,000-meter run, and Douglas and Ailea Wetjen in the girls' and boys' 100 meter dashes.

Times by Yunggebauer (11:41.27) and Wetjen (13.28) were personal records, and Douglas' 11.11 clocking was one of five that bettered the meet record of 11.38 set in 2018 by Solon's Ezeki Leggins. Iowa City West's Izaiah Loveless won the race in a Blue Oval Standard 10.91.

This was the first outdoor meet of the season for the Raiders after having their own co-ed invitational canceled Tuesday by inclement weather. It's also the first time they've competed since the April 18 WaMaC Indoor.

"It was great to get back out there again," said Williamsburg girls' coach Nick Nordheim. "It's been a month since the last meet for our girls who went on the spring break trip, and almost three weeks for the rest of them.

“I thought our throwers (Jenna Thurm was third in both the shot and discus) were one of the biggest highlights of the night. Those seniors don't get nearly enough credit for all their work, but they are coming on really strong. This is going to be a huge year for them."

Great things also appear to be in store for the distance medley relay team. Their time is the fastest so far this season in Class 2A, and fourth fastest in all classes.

"That was amazing," Nordheim said of his distance medley team. "We didn't run a time that fast until the state meet last year."

Nordheim noted Phoenix Gryp and Kalon Spratt had strong outings in the jumps and hurdles, and said he was "really proud" of Alley Gorsh, who ran a 2:47 leg in the 4 x 800 relay.

"She's been working hard while moving up to the distance workouts, and to get a personal best by over five seconds was a huge breakthrough for her," said Nordheim of Gorsh.

Results from the CCA meet follow.

GIRLS

Team scores

None kept

Williamsburg placings

Shot put — 1. Elle Ridgeway, 36-6; 3. Jenna Thurm, 34-9; 8. Paige Wolter, 32-1.

High jump — 7. Phoenix Gryp, 14-3 3/4.

Discus — 3. Thurm, 103-8; 8. Ridgeway, 82-4.

Sprint medley relay — 4. Elizabeth Stohlmann, Makenna Hughes, Ailea Wetjen, Shannon Finn, 1:57.12.

3000 — 2. Tori Yunggebauer, 11:41.27 (PR); 7. Maelyn Parsons, 12:42.54.

4 x 800 relay — 5. Analise Dewitt, Ashlynn Hoffman, Natalie Bemer, Reagan McMenomy, 10:56.78; 8. Alley Gorsh, April Phillips, Hayden Wade, Eleanor Sinclair, 11:29.25.

Shuttle hurdle relay — 7. Tayler Long, Kadi Reed, Kalon Spratt, Gryp, 1:18.36.

100 — 2. Wetjen, 13.28.

Distance medley relay — 1. Hughes, Long, Finn, Macey Marovets, 4:21.99.

400 — 3. Lilly Andrews, 1:06.92.

800 — 1. Bemer, 2:38.43.

400 hurdles — 7. Gryp, 1:13.29; 8. Long, 1:13.84.

4 x 100 relay — 3. Stohlmann, Wetjen, Hughes, Finn, 52.82.

4 x 400 relay — 7. Andrews, Hoffman, Jenna Yearian, McMenomy, 4:34.81.

BOYS

Team scores

None kept

Williamsburg placings

Shot put — 5. Derek Weisskopf, 45-9.

Discus — 4. Weisskopf, 138-2.

High jump — 1. Trey O'Neil, 6-2.

4 x 800 relay — 5. Sam Rich, Jake Buchholtz, Devin Busch, Calvin Seelman, 8:48.4.

100 — 2. Owen Douglas, 11.11.

Wheelchair 100 — 1. Adam Arp, 28.9.

4 x 200 relay — 1. O'Neil, Braylon Wetjen, Carson Huedepohl, Kellen Cockrell, 1:31.53.

800 — 6. Seelman, 2:09.26.

1600 — 5. Busch, 4:53.11.

4 x 100 relay — 1. Huedepohl, Cockrell, Wetjen, Douglas, 43.92.

4 x 400 relay — 3. Rich, Cockrell, O'Neil, Wetjen, 3:33.99.