Striegel shines in special high school meet

BROOKLYN - Iowa High School athletes who had their spring season taken away by the COVID-19 pandemic had one final time around the track on Tuesday, or in some cases, one more time around the discus circle.

The 'Track Guy Carnival” meet, which was put on by beloved track and field announcer Mike Jay, brought just over 200 Iowa track athletes to BHM High school in Brooklyn. Striegel was one of 22 winners, taking the girls' high school discus event with a throw of 117-07.

Striegel, a former state qualifier in the Class 3A girls discus, had her senior season taken away from her by concerns over Coronavirus safety when the Iowa High School Athletic Association and Iowa Girls Athletic Union announced the cancellation of the 2020 track and field season this fall. When she heard about one last chance to compete before college, she jumped right on the opportunity.

'I first heard a rumor that somebody was trying to do a track meet,” Striegel says. 'We figured out it was July 7, and Mike Jay was so helpful to help all the kids participate. I was super excited to hear about it.”

Striegel, who will be joining the Hawkeye Community College track team next year, says she tried to stay in shape despite the season being canceled. Being the daughter of Mt. Pleasant throwing coach Shawn Striegel didn't hurt.

'We would go outside of the house and start throwing in an open area,” Striegel says. 'We've done that a few times, and we've went to Maple leaf and thrown a little bit, and then some at home workouts to stay in shape.'

All the extra work led to the day of the meet, which was the first outdoor meet in a full year for Iowa high school athletes.

'I was a little nervous leading up to the meet, since it was the first time since,” Striegel says. 'I was just ready to go out and have fun, and get some competition experience before the next level.”

Striegel's throw beat second-place Dowling Catholic's Emily Ball by over eight feet. She was one of four throwers who eclipsed the 100-foot mark.

'I was just trying to have fun with it, and I was trying to keep pushing myself to throw further and further,” she says. 'I was just having a good time being in the competition.”

The meet was free for all spectators and adhered by social distancing rules. Athletes were instructed to be six feet apart, and families who came to watch were grouped together and separately from their fellow spectators.