IOWA CITY - Alec Clasen began his final season with the Xavier High School track team in style Tuesday afternoon at the Hollingsworth Relays in Iowa City.

Clasen soared 6-foot-6 in the high jump to break the meet record and match the best leap in the state this year. On top of that, he undoubtedly qualified for the Drake Relays that will be held later this month in Des Moines.

"You're safe. Your parents should be buying tickets to Drake. Nice job," happy Xavier Coach Russ Camacho said shortly after the competition ended at Iowa City West High School.

Clasen hopes his coach is right about qualiyfing for the prestigious Drake Relays. "I'm looking forward to that, if that (6-foot-6) gets me in," he said.

Clasen had not competed in a meet this season while recovering from a sore ankle, but he showed Tuesday that he's ready to defend his status as one of the top jumpers in Iowa. Clasen placed second at the Class 4A state meet last May at 6-foot-6 and soared 6-foot-8 at the district meet last spring.

Clasen cleared 6-4 1/4 on his third and final try Tuesday, snapping the meet record of 6-4, then cleared 6-foot-6 on his first try at that height, matching the second-best jump of his career. He took three shots at 6-foot-8 and came close on his final attempt, but the bar fell to the ground.

Clasen was satisfied with his first jumps of the year.

"It feels pretty good, I guess," said Clasen, who does not show a lot of emotion at meets. "I wish I could have done a little better. I was kind of struggling in the beginning. I'm pleased with it, I guess."

Dondre Alexander and Jeremy Morgan, two basketball stars at 4A champion Iowa City West, tied for second in the high jump at 6-foot-2.

Clasen's leap of 6-foot-6 matched the highest in the state this year, according to the Iowa High School Athletic Association website. He knows he can leap 6-foot-8, because he did it last year, and he's hoping to hit 6-foot-10 this spring. "That would be nice to get," he said.

Clasen plans to attend the University of Iowa next year and not jump in college at this point, but that could change as events unfold. "We'll see how this year goes," he said. "Maybe I'll get lucky."

Xavier had a good day overall in the field events Tuesday. Craig Murtha captured the discus (141-5) and the shot put (47-6 3/4) for the Saints.

The Prairie Hawks set a meet record in the 4x400 relay with a swift 3:23.86 with Austin Dellamuth, Tristan Beyer, Jacob Aune and Demetrius Harper dominating the competition. The Hawks also captured the sprint medley with Austin Dellamuth, Beyer, Mitch Dellamuth and Mitch Pritts making the rounds in 3:44.25.

Pritts and Aune both won exciting races. Pritts used a strong kick to win the 3200 meter run in 9:50.45, nudging Daniel Gardarsson (9:50.59) and Isaac Jensen (9:50.88) of Iowa City West at the wire in a bang-bang-bang finish.

Aune also used a strong finish to win the 1600 in 4:28.40 and trim Josh Evans of Linn-Mar (4:28.61) and Bailey Wetherell of Iowa City West (4:28.71).

Linn-Mar came home with three first-place medals. Matt Simon won the 400 (51.55), Jabez Walker claimed the 400 low hurdles (57.21) and Chase Grabau captured the 800 (1:58.84).

Kennedy won the shuttle hurdle relay with Tom Kaiser, Famiek Cook, Derek Jacobus and Josh Jahlas clocked in 1:00.73.

Iowa City West won the team title. Linn-Mar finished second, Xavier placed third, Prairie fourth and Kennedy fifth in the eight-team field.

HOLLINGSWORTH RELAYS

Team Standings

1. Iowa City West 170, 2. Linn-Mar 116.33, 3. Xavier 79.33, 4. Prairie 75, 5. Kennedy 46, 6. Muscatine 38, 7. Waterloo East 27, 8. Ottumwa 6.33.

High Jump

1. Alec Clasen (CRX) 6-6 (meet record; old 6-4); 2. (tie) Dondre Alexander (ICW) 6-2; Jeremy Morgan (ICW) 6-2; 4. Willie Rhodes (CRK) 6-0; 5. Demetrius Harper (CRP) 5-10; 6. (tie) Lane Halupnik (LM) 5-6; Noah Clasen (CRX) 5-6; Patrick Peters (OTT) 5-6.

Long Jump

1. Tavian Smith (ICW) 21-3; 2. Derek Jacobus (CRK) 20-3; 3. Colton Sanchez (LM) 19-1 1/2; 4. Richard Bryant (ICW) 19-0 3/4; 5. Kris Treiber (MUSC) 18-4; 6. Famiek Cook (CRK) 18-3.

Discus

1. Craig Murtha (CRX) 141-5; 2. Robbie Hanson (ICW) 131-2; 3. Jacob Nelson (ICW) 127-8; 4. Sam Manternach (CRP) 125-8; 5. Jacob Anderson (CRK) 123-9; 6. Matt Hilligas (CRP) 113-4.

Shot Put

1. Craig Murtha (CRX) 47-6 3/4; 2. Jack Halupnik (LM) 47-5 3/4; 3. Drew Heitland (CRK) 45-8 1/2; 4. Tyler Much (MUSC) 44-3 1/4; 5. Josh Williams (CRP) 43-11; 6. Gage Berry (CRK) 43-5 3/4.

Shot Put Wheelchair

1. Jordan Houdeshell (LM) 12-4.

4x800 Relay

1. IC West 8:15.23; 2. Linn-Mar (Josh Evans, Tanner Rathje, Will Fuhrmann, Chase Grabau) 8:22.40; 3. Xavier (Collin O'Connell, Patrick Mullin, Evan Gradoville, Brandon Gradoville) 8:42.58; 4. Prairie (Luke Galloway, Conner Neuhaus, Ross Adams, Steven Wallace) 8:46.56; 5. Ottumwa 9:00.45; 6. Muscatine 9:01.11.

3200 Meter Run

1. Mitch Pritts (CRP) 9:50.45; 2. Daniel Gardarsson (ICW) 9:50.59; 3. Isaac Jensen (ICW) 9:50.88; 4. Ben Schueler (CRX) 10:04.76; 5. Tyler Chlystun (LM) 10:18.28; 6. Daniel Murphy (LM) 10:28.59.

Shuttle Hurdle Relay

1. Kennedy (Tom Kaiser, Famiek Cook, Derek Jacobus, Josh Jahlas) 1:00.73; 2. Linn-Mar (Brandon Ophoff, Mike Keiser, Ryan Wirth, Colton Sanchez) 1:01.39; 3. Muscatine 1:02.15; 4. IC West 1:03.38; 5. Xavier (Noah Clasen, David Kirpes, Josh Nelson, Chris Ball) 1:03.69; 6. Prairie (Mitchell Dellamuth, Keagan Pinter, Jarred Edmons, Haakon Wilz) 1:04.29.

100 Meter Dash

1. Aaron Taylor (WE) 10.93; 2. Armando Williams (ICW) 10.93; 3. Richard Bryant (ICWS) 11.21; 4. Nick Ball (CRX) 11.44; 5. Nick Steingreaber (CRX) 11:45; 6. Jacob Shannon (CRK) 11:54.

100 Meter Wheelchair

1. Jordan Houdeshell (LM) 20.91 (meet record; old 24.24).

400 Meter Dash

1. Matt Simon (LM) 51.55; 2. Zach Stovie (CRX) 52.73; 3. Ahmed Noureldaim (ICW) 52.79; 4. Duggan Trenary (LM) 53.05 5. Rayce Miller (MUSC) 54.87; 6. Tyler Sanders (MUSC) 55.48.

400 Meter Wheelchair

1. Jordan Houdeshell (LM) 1:19.58.

4x200 Relay

1. Iowa City West 1:30.60; 2. Prairie (Austin Dellamuth, Tristan Beyer, Jarred Edmonds, Demetrius Harper) 1:32.09; 3. Xavier (Nick Ball, Nick Steingreaber, Cal Stovie, Jordan Weber) 1:32.84; 4. Linn-Mar (Ellis McBrayer, Tristan Freese, Tommy Feller, Jake Luerkens) 1:33.82; 5. Kennedy (Alex Hillyer, Famiek Cook, Josh Jahlas, John Koelling) 1:36.56; 6.
Waterloo East 1:42.71.

110 Meter Hurdles

1. Lucas Brenneman (ICW) 15.24; 2. Andrew Gilbaugh (ICW) 15.37; 3. Mike Keiser (LM) 15.55; 4. Haakon Wilz (CRP) 15.81; 5. Kris Treiber (MUSC) 15.88; 6. Tom Kaiser (CRK) 15.90.

1600 Meter Run

1. Jacob Aune (CRP) 4:28.40; 2. Josh Evans (LM) 4:28.61; 3. Bailey Wetherell (ICW) 4:28.71; 4. Bennett Luedtke (MUSC) 4:33.54; 5. Daniel Gardarsson (ICW) 4:45.31; 6. Keegan Cook (LM) 4:48.33.

200 Meter Dash

1. Aaron Taylor (WE) 21.94; 2. Demetrius Harper (CRP) 22.68; 3. Jake Luerkens (LM) 22.96; 4. Spencer Hammack (OTT) 23.08; 5. Tristan Freese (LM) 23.09; 6. Jacob Shannon (CRK) 23.25.

200 Meter Wheelchair

1. Jordan Houdeshell (LM) 39.82.

400 Meter Hurdles

1. Jabez Walker (LM) 57.21; 2. Lucas Brenneman (ICW) 58.09; 3. Andrew Gilbaugh (ICW) 58.43; 4. Josh Jahlas (CRK) 1:00.23; 5. Jon Centeno (MUSC) 1:01.10; 6. Jarred Edmonds (CRP) 1:02.57.

1600 Sprint Medley

1. Prairie (Austin Dellamuth, Tristan Beyer, Mitch Dellamuth, Mitch Pritts) 3:44.25; 2. Linn-Mar (Ellis McBrayer, Tommy Feller, Ryan Wirth, Devin Bettman) 3:45.19; 3. Iowa City West 3:46.52; 4. Muscatine 3:53.41; 5. Xavier (Miles Sullivan, Dylan Eller, Ben Valentine, Ben Schueler) 3:54.58; 6. Kennedy (Cody Burke, Rod Dooley, Donovan Kosman, Trenton Seubert)
4:02.14.

800 Meter Run

1. Chase Grabau (LM) 1:58.84; 2. Bennett Luedtke (MUSC) 2:00.49; 3. Kaleb Greiner (ICW) 2:00.59; 4. Bailey Wetherell (ICW) 2:01.65; 5. Duggan Trenary (LM) 2:04.12; 6. Brandon Gradoville (CRX) 2:05.99.

4x100 Relay

1. Iowa City West 43.57; 2. Xavier (Nick Ball, Nick Steingreaber, Cal Stovie, Jordan Weber) 43.96; 3. Waterloo East 44.74; 4. Linn-Mar (Travis Kvach, Tristan Freese, Tommy Feller, Brad Fitzpatrick) 45.40; 5. Kennedy (Alex Hillyer, Tom Kaiser, Jacob Shannon, Derek Jacobus) 45.51; 6. Muscatine 45.64.

4x400 Relay

1. Prairie (Austin Dellamuth, Tristan Beyer, Jacob Aune, Demetrius Harper) 3:23.86 (meet record; old 3:25.49); 2. Linn-Mar (Brandon Ophoff, Jake Luerkens, Matt Simon, Jabez Walker) 3:29.71; 3. Xavier (Ben Valentine, Noah Clasen, Zach Stovie, Jordan Weber) 3:35.74; 4. Iowa City West 3:37.38; 5. Kennedy (John Koelling, Famiek Cook, Trevor Oates, Chad Slaymaker) 3:41.14; 6. Muscatine 3:42.49.