Yahnke, Yoder battle at SEISC North

MEDIAPOLIS - Highland's Emily Yahnke and Iowa Mennonite School's Suzanna Yoder each won two individual events Thursday at the Southeast Iowa Super Conference North Division meet.

'I love seeing (Yahnke) at meets,” Yoder said. 'It kind of calms me down seeing someone I know. We talk before the 100, so it's nice when you know someone you're running against.”

The two went head-to-head in the 100 meters. 'I respect (Yahnke) a lot,” Yoder said. 'She's a really good runner. Last year she beat me all the time. She's a great long jumper. I love watching her. Every time I've run well it's been against her this year, so that's great. I guess I know that she's better than me, but we're pretty close. I just try to stick with her.”

In the 100, Yahnke won in 13.07 seconds and Yoder took second in 13.21.

'It went a lot better than I thought it would,” Yahnke said. 'I was definitely going in as an underdog. I really pulled away somehow. My starts haven't been so great this year. That was definitely one of my best ones. I really just jumped out of the blocks.”

Yahnke knows the starts are important in the sprints. 'I haven't been working on them as much as I should,” she said. 'I probably could use some more practices. I think it was just kind of luck. This season is just starting to come together.”

Yahnke uses her competitors as motivation. '(Yoder) is a good friend of mine and she's a really good competitor,” Yahnke said. 'She's just like me. We both really want to win.”

Leah Bontrager of IMS also won a title, taking first in the 800 meters with a time of 2 minutes, 36.79 seconds, her best by more than five seconds.

Yoder took the 200 title with a time of 27.45 and the 400 in 1:01.55.

'I felt like I pushed a little harder in the backstretch (of the 400) than I usually do, which is something I've really been trying to work at,” Yoder said. 'That was good. I want to keep working on finishing harder.”

Yahnke leaped 17 feet, 0.25 inches to win the long jump.

'I was really glad to get back in the 17s again,” Yahnke said. 'It's been a while since I got there, but I'm glad it's all coming together at the end of the season.”

Yahnke was also part of Highland's championship 4x1 (52.35) and 4x2 (1:50.73) relay teams.

Districts are next Thursday and that is when individuals qualify for state.

'I was struggling during the middle of the season,” Yahnke said. 'I didn't think I would be getting the times I wanted to. I think I just wasn't in shape. I didn't do basketball this year, so taking that season off really put me behind. I'm finally peaking again just at the right time. I think it's finally coming together. The times are going to be there.”

Yoder knows she must prepare well for the district meet.

'I like to think I'm going for my own time, but it will probably come down to (competing with Yahnke).”

Both Highland and IMS are at the District 1 state-qualifying meet meet in Central City Thursday.

GIRLS TEAM SCORES - 1. Pekin 156, 2. Highland 103, 3. Louisa-Muscatine 100, 4. Mediapolis 95, 5. Winfield-Mt. Union 74, 6. Wapello 68, 7. Lone Tree 51, 8. Iowa Mennonote 43, 9. Columbus 23

BOYS TEAM SCORES -1. Wapello 160, 2. Pekin 142, 3. Mediapolis 132, 4. Winfield-Mt. Union 81, 5. Lone Tree 81, 6. Louisa-Muscatine 71, 7. Highland 32, 8. Columbus 30