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Colleges at Drake: Wesleyan’s Blackwell, former area preps take in Relays
DES MOINES — Current highschoolers weren’t the only area athletes who competed at the Drake Relays over the weekend. One Iowa Wesleyan jumper and a few former area preps showed out at the meet as well.
Among those was a former Drake Relays champion in Mt. Pleasant graduate and current Iowa State freshman Jayden Brumbaugh. Brumbaugh took second in the University shot put competition, throwing 48 feet, 8 inches.
Brumbaugh wasn’t the only former Panther in action. Central College high jumper Sam Beatty competed in the college high jump competition, right alongside current Iowa Wesleyan leaper KeRon Blackwell.
In the high jump, Beatty finished in ninth place, after clearing 6 feet, 6 and 3/4ths inches. Blackwell wasn’t far behind, clearing the same height in more attempts, to finish 15th.
Another former Panther, and current Iowa Hawkeye, Abby Ryon spent 17:29.83 on the blue oval on Thursday. That was her final time in the women’s 5,000. Ryon finished 15th for the black and gold, beating over half of a field of 28 runners.
Some athletes said goodbye to Drake Stadium. Among those was fifth-year Wartburg runner Carson McSorley, a former standout for New London.
“It was exciting, just like always,” McSorley said. “I think I really gave myself a pep talk that it's my last time running.”
McSorley ran in the women’s 4X400, a race Wartburg took ninth out of 21 teams in. The Knights crossed the finish line in 3:52.95.
McSorley, who took a fifth year after studying abroad in Greece, said she was thrilled to be back at the blue oval for one last go-round.
“It gives me the same feeling,” McSorley said. “No other meet can do that. It was a lot of fun today.”
McSorley also talked about how fun her last year at Wartburg has been, and how much it meant to her to be back in Des Moines.
“It was the most fun I've had in a while,” McSorley said. “I'm a fifth-year, so I'm just trying not to get burned out, and being back at the blue oval reminded me why I love track, and how fun it is.”
