A State champion from Pekin.  The Panthers’ 4 by 800 relay team won the Girls’ 1A championship Thursday (5/19) at theState Boys and Girls High School Track Meet in Des Moines.  The foursome of Audrey Fariss, Lauren Derscheid, Makenzie Dahlstrom and Sarah Eubanks ran in 9 minutes and 55.02 seconds.  Also in Class 1A girls, Greenlee Smock of Lynnville-Sully finished tenth in the girls’ 3000 meters—one day after qualifying for the girls’ State golf meet!  Sarah Eubanks of Pekin was 14^th in the 400, Rylee Dunkin of Twin Cedars was 13^th in the long jump, Lauren Steigleder of Pekin was 16^th in the girls’ 3000 and Pekin’s Kerrigan Pope 13^th in the 1A girls’ shot put.

In boys’ 1A, Ryan Annee of Lynnville-Sully was 15^th in the long jump, Conner Maston of Lynnville-Sully was 7^th in the 400, Sean Knockel of North Mahaska was ninth in the 200 and eighth in the 400….missing a place in the 200 meter finals by 9/100 of a second and North Mahaska’s 4 by 800 relay team finished 24th.  Kyle Squires of Lynnville-Sully was 18^th in the shot.

In 4A boys, Mason Farrington of Ottumwa was 13^th in the 200 and 17^th in the 400; and in 4A girls, Eve Rust of Ottumwa tied for 12^th in the high jump.

Checking Oskaloosa’s results Thursday, Maleah Walker qualified for the finals in both the Class 3A 100 and 200 meters, placing seventh in both events.  The Indians’ Faith DeRonde placed tenth in the girls’ discus with a throw of 118 feet, 2 inches.  And Osky’s girls’ shuttle relay team of Hayley Van Arkel, Gracie DeRonde, Lydia Van Veldhuizen and Hannah Quang finished 20^th.  For the Osky boys, Patrick DeRonde was 12^th in the 3200 meters.

Meanwhile, in the 3A girls 3000, Alyssa Shannon of Newton was fifth, Raegan Snieder of Pella 13^th and Autumn Blink of Pella 16^th. In 3A boys, Jackson Mace-Maynard of Newton was second in the 3200 meters with Oskaloosa’s Patrick DeRonde 12^th, Nathan Vander Waal of Pella 15^th, Jonas Conner of Grinnell 23^rd and Zach Neumann of Pella 24th.  Keith Moko of Newton was third in the high jump with Parker Elder of Pella tied for sixth.  Pella had the fastest qualifying time in the boys’ shuttle hurdle preliminaries.  In 3A boys’ discus, Pella’s Brandon Fischer was fourth and Grinnell’s Aaron Campbell 14^th.  In the boys’ 4 by 800 relay, Newton was third, Pella fourth and Knoxville 11^th.  On the girls’ side, Pella’s Jacie Trine was sixth in the 400 while the Dutch was 14^th in the girls’ 4 by 800 relay.

In the 2A girls’ shot put, Rylee Gallaher of PCM placed 17^th with Paige Kaster of Albia 24^th.  .  Lizzy Van Utrecht of EBF was tenth in the girls’ 400 in Class 2A. Checking 2A boys, Jesse Cornelisen of EBF was 22^nd in the long jump.

Competition continues Friday (5/20) and Saturday (5/21) at the State High School Track Meet at Drake University in Des Moines.