Day two of state track and field from Drake Stadium in Des Moines featured one new school record and four state medals earned by KLGA area athletes.
In the girls class 3A long jump, Algona junior Maya Lentz broke through for her first career state medal, placing 5th with a best jump of 17-02. After hitting 16-06.75 on her first attempt and fouling on her second, Lentz sat in 12th place, needing to move into the top nine to advance to finals and earn three more jumps. The Bulldog junior rose to the occasion, moving into fourth place with what would ultimately be her best jump of the day. Although Lentz was unable to beat 17-02 on any of her final three jumps, she did get over 17 feet a second time on her final jump of the day with a mark of 17-01.25.
North Union freshman Max Heinen capped off a breakthrough campaign with a state medal, clearing 6-01 in the boys class 1A high jump to finish 5th place and take home a state medal after clearing 5-11 on his first attempt and 6-01 on his second try. Heinen, the only freshman to qualify for state in the boys 1A high jump, ends his freshman season with a 6-04 personal best, a top 8 finish at the Drake Relays, and a state meet medal.
Heinen would not be the only area athlete to take home a medal in the high jump, as West Bend-Mallard senior Allie Fehr capped off her career by winning her first state medal, clearing 5-02 to tie for 5th in the girls class 1A high jump. Fehr dealt with a busy afternoon schedule that saw her clear 4-10 on her first attempt, take a break from the high jump to run the 400 meter hurdles, then return to finish the high jump competition. It took Fehr two attempts to clear both 5-00 and 5-02, as Fehr just grazed the bar on her 2nd attempt at 5-02 but was still able to get over. The Wolverine senior bowed out at 5-04, but gained redemption after struggling in her first state high jump appearance two years ago, and surprisingly not qualifying for the state high jump last season.
In the girls class 1A 400 meter hurdles, Fehr clocked a time of 1:09.85 to place 15th. She ends her career by appearing at state twice in the high jump, three times in the 4×800, once in the 4×400, once in the 4×100, and once in the 400 meter hurdles.
A new Algona school record was established in the 400 meter hurdles, as Sienna Fehr took down her own record from the previous week with a 12th place finish in 67.20, taking nearly a second off her previous best.
In the girls class 1A discus, Bishop Garrigan sophomore Jenna Peterson established a season best mark for the 2nd week in a row, throwing 108-04, as her first attempt of the morning was her best, placing 15th after coming in seeded 22nd based on state qualifying meet marks.
In the boys class 1A discus, Bishop Garrigan senior Amaury Thomas made his 3rd state appearance, placing 12th with a throw of 150-01.
The boys class 3A 1600 meter medley was one of the most highly anticipated events of the meet, as Algona placed 4th for the second consecutive year against a stacked field, clocking in with a time of 3:31.18. Tate Garman and Levi Walker ran the 200 meter legs for the Bulldogs, Evan Allie took care of the 400, and Gavin Weber anchored on the 800 meter leg. Weber received the baton neck and neck with the anchor runner for Mount Vernon and split a 1:56, as Algona finished 3rd place in the fast heat and 4th overall, with Solon winning the event out of the slow heat based on time.
In her 2nd event of the weekend, Algona junior Reagan Haynes took 14th in the class 3A shot put with a mark of 36-08.50.
In the boys class 3A shot put, it was a tough day for Algona senior Max Nevitt, who was unable to advance to finals after being a podium finisher in the event last season and holding the second best throw of the season in class 3A. Nevitt’s best throw of the meet was 52-07.50, finishing 10th and missing the finals by one spot after Nevitt fouled on his final attempt of the prelims.
In the girls class 3A 4×100 meter preliminaries, Algona placed 17th, as Lilly Allie, Alissa Engel, Maya Lentz, and Natalie Johnson placed 17th in 50.06.
In the boys class 3A 4×100 meter preliminaries, Algona had to make a lineup change, subbing Owen Moe for Evan Allie on the anchor leg of the relay, with Will Weichert, Tate Garman, and Levi Walker on the first three legs. Algona placed 14th in 43.14 seconds.
The final day of state track and field gets underway on Saturday at 9am from Drake Stadium.
Athlete Interviews
Max Heinen (North Union) – Boys Class 1A High Jump
Jenna Peterson (Bishop Garrigan) – Girls Class 1A Discus
Allie Fehr (West Bend-Mallard) – Girls Class 1A 400 Meter Hurdles
Allie Fehr (West Bend-Mallard) – Girls Class 1A High Jump
Amaury Thomas (Bishop Garrigan) – Boys Class 1A Discus
Reagan Haynes (Algona) – Girls Class 3A Shot Put
Max Nevitt (Algona) – Boys Class 3A Shot Put
Sienna Fehr (Algona) – Girls Class 3A 400 Meter Hurdles
Maya Lentz (Algona) – Girls Class 3A Long Jump
Algona Girls Class 3A 4×100 Meter Relay (Lilly Allie, Alissa Engel, Maya Lentz, Natalie Johnson)
Algona Boys Class 3A 4×100 Meter Relay (Will Weichert, Tate Garman, Levi Walker, Owen Moe)
Algona Boys Class 3A 1600 Meter Medley (Tate Garman, Levi Walker, Evan Allie, Gavin Weber)
