There was no Drake Relays letdown for the Marion High School boys track team as the Indians ran away with their own 15-team invitational meet Monday night at Thomas Park.

After competing in a school-record nine events in Des Moines over the past weekend, the Indians claimed three individual titles and three relays on their home track to outpoint runnerup DeWitt Central, 135 to 100.5.

“Hopefully, we’re peaking at just the right time for the conference meet Thursday and the districts next week,” said sprinter Devin LeBeau, who won the 200-meter dash and anchored two winning relays. “Then we want to do well at state. And I think we will. Everybody’s clickin’ right now.”

Marion has chalked up a stellar season already, arguably the best in school history. The only two meets the Indians haven’t won were loaded with Class 4A teams. And they’ve run strong in those, too. Along the way, they’ve set seven school records.

Senior Lukas Mees, who’s established marks in the 1600 and 3200 in his only year on the team, is convinced more records will be toppled. “I know for sure the distance medley is well within our reach,” he said after claiming the 3200.

Besides winning the 200 in only the second time he’s run the race this year, LeBeau was on the 4x200 quartet that set a meet record by almost two seconds. Running ahead of him were Derrick Williams, Isaac Smith and Cale Cannoy. The group has the fastest time in Class 3A this spring and fell just short of their mark Monday.

“The weather and track conditions were good,” Cannoy said. “And we were running loose. Derrick gets us off to a fast start, and the rest of us try to sustain it.”

Williams also won the 100-meter dash.

“Our sprinters and especially Devin and Derrick had outstanding nights,” said Marion Coach Scott Immerfall. “All of the kids did really well."

LeBeau and Williams were also on the winning 4x100 team with Isaac Smith and Jerrod Samuelson. And Williams’ younger brother, Cedric, ran the third leg on Marion’s shuttle hurdle relay team that also set a meet record by two seconds.

Isaac Frazier gave his team a huge lead on the shuttle relay, Andrew Davis and then Cedric Williams stretched it out and anchor Taylor Rogers brought it home. The hurdle team
also owns the best time in the state this year in Class 3A.

“We had four great runs tonight, better than we had at Drake,” said Frazier, whose team finished sixth in Des Moines among all schools in the shuttle hurdle. “We’re all running well and getting better.”

Rogers, the senior who has led the hurdlers all season, pulled a hamstring muscle later Monday while finishing second in the 110-meter high hurdles. Immerfall said he didn’t think the injury was serious.

MARION INVITATIONAL
At Thomas Park

Team Standings

1. Marion 135, 2. DeWitt Clinton 100.5, 3. Western Dubuque 80, 4. Solon 64.5, 5. Monticello 64, 6. Mount Vernon 61, 7. Center Point-Urbana 51.5, 8. Benton Community 41, 9. Vinton-Shellsburg 37, 10. West Delaware 34, 11. Independence 16, 12. Alburnett 7, 13. Anamosa 5.5, 14. Maquoketa Valley 4, 15. North Linn 1.

Winners

100 - Derrick Williams, Marion, 11.38.
200 - Devin LeBeau, Marion, 22.89.
400 - Will Teubel, Mount Vernon, 49.86.
800 - Will Teubel, Mount Vernon, 1:56.37.
1600 - Michael Melchert, Monticello, 4:32.69.
3200 - Lukas Mees, Marion, 9:58.82.
110 hurdles - Conrad Thompson, Benton, 14.88.
400 hurdles - Mitch Kirby, DeWitt, 56.17.
4x100 relay - Marion 44.34.
4x200 relay - Marion 1:30.98.
4x400 relay - Western Dubuque 3:29.24.
4x800 relay - Mount Vernon 8:00.63.
Distance medley - Western Dubuque 3:39.67.
Shuttle hurdle relay - Marion 58.76.
High jump - Cody Jamison, Monticello, 6-3.
Long jump - Mitch McMartin, Independence, 20-8 1/2.
Shot put - Cameron Paddoock, Monticello, 53-1 1/2.
Discus - Dane Salow, Center Point-Urbana, 159-11.

Marion Placewinners
(Top 6)

1st - Derrick Williams, 100, 11.38.
1st - Devin LeBeau, 200, 22.89.
1st - Lukas Mees, 3200, 9:58.82.
1st - 4x100 relay 44.34.
1st - 4x200 relay 1:30.98.
1st - Shuttle hurdle relay 58.76.
2nd - Sam Greg, 800, 2:01.27.
2nd - Taylor Rogers, 110 hurdles, 14.91.
2nd - Isaac Frazier, high jump, 6-0.
3rd - Isaac Frazier, 110 hurdles, 15.56.
3rd - 4x400 relay 3:31.07.
3rd - Distance medley 3:41.86.
3rd - Zach Bornes, discus, 147-1.
4th - Brennen Kelly, 800, 2:02.29.
5th - Peter Rethwisch, 400, 54.08.
5th - Justin Dolley, discus, 141-10.
6th - Nathan Scherbaum, 100, 12.02.
6th - Cole Kuethe, 3200, 10:40.59.
6th - 4x800 relay 8:28.69.
6th - Justin Dolley, shot put, 49-5 1/2.