Mount Ayr sends 14 events to State
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Last Thursday teams took to the track and field to qualify for the State Meet that begins today (Thursday, May 20) in district meets scattered across the state.
The Raiders and Raiderettes hosted the State Qualifying Meet with the Raiders taking the meet win with 117 points with Lamoni in second with 103 and Lenox with 99 to round out the top three.
The Raiderettes finished second to Wayne with 141 points, while Wayne scored 153 and Lenox scored 84 to round out the top three.
The day started out with some question marks on some events for the Raiders as senior runner, Erik Trujillo, was unable to be with the team.
“Up until 48 hours ago we were really confident on the boys side. I really want to mention Erik Trujillo,” said coach Brad Elliott. “Thinking of him, he had a very rough week this week dealing with some health issues. One of our star runners wasn’t able to compete tonight. Hopefully we can get him back. He’s an alternate in some relays that we think he can do some serious damage in.”
Leading the Raider scorers was Ryce Reynolds, Adler Shay, Bryce Shaha and Briar Knapp who combined for 72.25 points.
The Raiders would go on to advance seven events total.
The Raiderettes, finishing second in the meet to Wayne, advanced seven events as well, pushing Mount Ayr’s total events on the Blue Oval to 14.
The Raiderettes were led by Adalyn Reynolds, Payten Lambert, Karly Elwood, Karlie Larsen, MaKayla Jones and Hope Whittington.
Together, they combined for 88 points of their 141 total.
The Reynolds siblings will be staying busy in Des Moines with both Adalyn and Ryce competing in four events each for a total of eight.
“Looking at the Reynolds family, whatever they ate for breakfast I think we need to box that up,” quipped coach Elliott. “All candid things aside, both Addy and Ryce have been key players for us this year and we have been able to compliment that with some really great performances.”
In the meet this year, first place would automatically qualify for the State Meet, while the next best 14 times around the state would advance.
Thursday night saw the Raiders advance in the 4×400 with Trae Ehlen, Payton Weehler, Adler Shay and Ryce Reynolds with Austin Cole and Erik Trujillo serving as alternates. The distance medley of Seth Shelman, Weehler, Shay and Ehlen with Trujillo and Reynolds as atlernates. The 4×800 with Ehlen, Shaha, Shay and Reynolds with Trujillo and Will Newton as alternates, Adler Shay in the 800 meter run and Ryce Reynolds in the 400 meter dash and Bryce Shaha in the 1600 meter run.
Shaha is headed to the State Meet in two events, a relay and individual event in his first year on the track.
“This is the first time I’ve ever got him talked into going out for track,” said coach Elliott. “A kid who has had great success in wrestling. Every year I would meet him at the door, I’m going into practice and he’s going home and I’m just thinking you’re a wrestler, you’re a competitor, if he just comes out the mile and the 800 are your races and sure enough he is going to State in the mile and the 4×800.”
Shaha qualified first in the mile with a time of 4:59.58 and as he crossed the line he was pointed to the sky.
“I really wasn’t planning on going out for track this year, but since I decided not to do college wrestling I decided to come out and compete with my friends,” said Shaha. “I’m running for my grandpas that aren’t here. I wish they could be here to see it.”
The Raiders would add one more event on Friday due to a time.
Ryce Reynolds finished second in the 800 to Adler Shay with a time of 2:05.19, which was good enough to advance. The Raiderettes qualified first in the sprint medley with Madalynn Stewart, Kaylie Shields, Payten Lambert and Adalyn Reynolds with Madison Shields and Karly Elwood as alternates, the 4×400 with Lambert, Anne Newton, MaKenna Jones and Elwood with MaKayla Jones and Reynolds as alternates and the 4×200 with Madison Shields, Newton, MaKenna Jones and Kaylie Shields with Elwood and Stewart as alternates.
Individually, the Raiderettes saw Karlie Larsen take first in the 1500 meter run and Adalyn Reynolds qualify in the 200 meter dash and the 400 meter dash.
The Raiderettes would qualify the 100 meter dash with Reynolds advancing her time of 13.16 and the 4×800 team of MaKayla Jones, MaKenna Jones, Lambert and Elwood with Newton and Larsen as alternates with their second place finish time of 10:40.92.
“As the year kind of progressed, we knew this district would give us some potential and obviously coming in to today we were confident,” said coach Elliott. “The 4×200 girls race, what a race. Kaylie Shields was a huge anchor for us there, holding off Wayne.”
The Raiders and Raiderettes graduate 13 seniors after the State Meet this week.
“Looking down the list, I’m just so thankful for the seniors,” said coach Elliott. “On the boys side it’s the largest senior group I’ve ever had and it’s tough not to be emotional about something like that. The result of the boys race and the success of the girls soley rides on senior leadership.”
The Raiders and Raiderettes will compete Thursday, May 20, Friday, May 21 and Saturday, May 22 at Drake University on the Blue Oval.