IOWA CITY - Win or lose, Josh Evans likes to stay on the track after a race and congratulate all the other runners.

He usually wins, but that's not why he does it.

"We're all out here trying our best. It's what they deserve," he said Thursday. "It's just the right thing to do."

All the other runners needed to congratulate Evans, because the Linn-Mar sophomore won the 1600 and 3200 meter runs at the Class 4A state qualifying meet to assure himself a trip to Des Moines for the state finals next week.

Evans trimmed Jacob Aune of Prairie in the 3200 by 79-hundredths of a second, winning in 9:30.79 to Aune's 9:31.58. Later, Evans returned and led the 1600 from start to finish in 4:22.14, taking the race by five seconds.

"My favorite way to race is from the front," he said after his impressive 1600. "I like getting out there right at the gun, like I did.

"I just like being in control of the pace. Then I'm not reacting to other people's moves, I move when I want to."

The top two finishers in each event automatically qualified for the state meet next Thursday, Friday and Saturday. In addition, 12 at-large spots will be awarded from around the state to make for 24 qualifiers in each event.

Linn-Mar senior Brandon Ophoff claimed the 110 high hurdles and 400 low hurdles Thursday and got a measure of revenge in the process. Dan Roemerman of Iowa City High beat Ophoff in the 110 hurdles in a conference meet last week, but Ophoff chased him down Thursday and beat him to the finish line by 3-hundredths of a second. Ophoff won in 14.32 seconds and Roemerman was second in 14.35.

Ophoff was ranked No. 1 in the state in both hurdles events prior to the Drake Relays two weeks ago, but finished second in both races at Drake. He knows there will be stiff competition in Des Moines again next week.

"Nothing is an absolute," he said. "It doesn't matter if I go into the meet ranked first or ranked second or ranked fifth, anything can happen. I am an underdog, so I need to run like it."

Iowa City West won the team championship with 161 points. Linn-Mar finished second with 137 markers, beating Iowa City High by nine points. Xavier placed fourth, Prairie finished fifth and Kennedy was sixth in the eight-team field.

Prairie flexed its muscles in the relays by taking the distance medley and the 4x400. The same quartet of Austin Dellamuth, Jarred Edmonds, Demetrius Harper and Jacob Aune ran both relays. Aune anchored the medley and Harper anchored the 4x400 to victory, just as he did at the Drake Relays.

Chase Grabau won the 800 meter run for Linn-Mar in 1:58.56 and Jack Halupnik took the shot put for the Lions.

Alec Clasen of Xavier won the high jump at 6-foot-4.

Derek Jacobus of Kennedy captured the long jump at 21 feet, 10 inches.

CLASS 4A STATE QUALIFYING MEET
At Iowa City West

Team Standings
1. Iowa City West 161, 2. Linn-Mar 137, 3. Iowa City High 128, 4. Xavier 83, 5. Prairie 75, 6. Kennedy 54, 7. Burlington 32, 8. Ottumwa 28.

High Jump
1. Alec Clasen (CRX) 6-4, 2. Jeremy Johnson (ICH) 6-3, 3. Justin Randall (BUR) 6-3, 4. Willie Rhodes (CRK) 6-2, 5. (tie) Dondre Alexander (ICW), 6-0; Jeremy Morgan (ICW) 6-0.

Long Jump
1. Derek Jacobus (CRK) 21-10, 2. Richard Bryant (ICW) 21-3 1/2, 3. Tavian Smith (ICW) 21-3 1/4, 4. Jasper Washington (ICH) 21-2, 5. Colton Sanchez (LM) 19-11 1/4, 6. Haakon Wilz (CRP) 19-9.

Discus
1. Kody Dailey (ICH) 150-5, 2. Craig Murtha (CRX) 149-10, 3. Robbie Hanson (ICW) 135-11, 4. Sam Manternach (CRP) 132-4, 5. Jacob Nelson (ICW) 127-10, 6. Cameron Daft (BUR) 126-7.

Shot Put
1. Jack Halupnik (LM) 48-11, 2. Craig Murtha (CRX) 48-10, 3. Kody Dailey (ICH) 47-9 1/2, 4. Josh Williams (CRP) 46-8, 5. Brady MacNider (LM) 46-3 1/2, 6. Tanner Odle (ICH) 46-1 3/4.

Wheelchair Shot Put
1. Jordan Houdeshell (LM) 13-11 1/2.

4x800 Relay
1. Iowa City West 7:55.09, 2. Linn-Mar (Chase Grabau, Duggan Trenary, Jabez Walker, Matt Simon) 7:55.21, 3. Iowa City High 7:58.69, 4. Xavier (Patrick Mullin, Ben Valentine, Ben Schueler, Brandon Gradoville) 8:24.08, 5. Burlington 8:24.10, 6. Prairie (Connor Neuhaus, Isaiah Vlasek, Steven Wallace, Luke Galloway) 8:29.50.

3200 Meter Run
1. Josh Evans (LM) 9:30.79, 2. Jacob Aune (CRP) 9:31.58, 3. Isaac Jensen (ICW) 9:39.95, 4. Daniel Gardarsson (ICW) 9:40.87, 5. Mitch Pritts (CRP) 9:43.72, 6. Chris Ohrt (ICH) 10:02.88.

Shuttle Hurdle Relay
1. Iowa City High 56.34, 2. Linn-Mar (Brandon Ophoff, Colton Sanchez, Tristan Freese, Mike Keiser) 56.98, 3. Iowa City West 57.18, 4. Kennedy (Tom Kaiser, Derek Jacobus, Famiek Cook, Josh Jahlas) 58.91, 5. Xavier (Noah Clasen, Josh Nelson, David Kirpes, Carter Valentine) 59.26, 6. Prairie (Mitch Dellamuth, Keagan Pinter, Jarred Edmonds, Haakon Wilz) 1:02.42.

100 Meter Dash
1. Armando Williams (ICW) 10.75, 2. Nick Steingreaber (CRX) 10.83, 3. Bryson Runge (ICH) 10.98, 4. Demetrius Harper (CRP) 11.08, 5. Hector Montelongo (ICH) 11.45, 6. Brandon Jeffries (LM) 11.46.

Wheelchair 100 Meter Dash
1. Jordan Houdeshell (LM) 20.31.

400 Meter Dash
1. Charlie Rogers (ICW) 49.88, 2. Spencer Hammack (OTT) 50.15, 3. Austin Dellamuth (CRP) 50.77, 4. Zack Messer (OTT) 50.78, 5. John Koelling (CRK) 52.02, 6. Zach Stovie (CRX) 52.18.

Wheelchair 400 Meter Dash
1. Jordan Houdeshell (LM) 1:16.45.

4x200 Relay
1. Iowa City West 1:27.79, 2. Iowa City High 1:28.96, 3. Linn-Mar (Austin Fleider, Tristan Freese, Jake Luerkens, Perrion Scott) 1:29.47, 4. Xavier (Nick Ball, Nick Steingreaber, Cal Stovie, Jordan Weber) 1:29.49, 5. Kennedy (Josh Jahlas, Famiek Cook, Jacob Shannon, Derek Jacobus) 1:31.06, 6. Prairie (Mitch Dellamuth, Jarred Edmonds, Alex Nelson, Demetrius Harper) 1:33.81.

110 Meter Hurdles
1. Brandon Ophoff (LM) 14.32, 2. Dan Roemerman (ICH) 14.35, 3. Charlie Rogers (ICW) 14.73, 4. Mike Keiser (LM) 15.10, 5. Mason Greer (ICH) 15.39, 6. Lucas Brenneman (ICW) 15.58.

1600 Meter Run
1. Josh Evans (LM) 4:22.14, 2. Bailey Wetherell (ICW) 4:27.10, 3. Daniel Murphy (LM) 4:31.59, 4. Daniel Gardarsson (ICW) 4:31.79, 5. Mitch Pritts (CRP) 4:34.70, 6. Josh Myatt (BUR) 4:44.01.

200 Meter Dash
1. Armando Williams (ICW) 22.12, 2. Nick Ball (CRX) 22.70, 3. Zack Messer (OTT) 22.82, 4. John Koelling (CRK) 23.03, 5. Cal Stovie (CRX) 23.17, 6. Jacob Shannon (CRK) 23.19.

Wheelchair 200 Meter Dash
1. Jordan Houdeshell (LM) 39.06.

400 Meter Hurdles
1. Brandon Ophoff (LM) 53.67, 2. Charlie Rogers (ICW) 54.00, 3. Noah Clasen (CRX) 56.26, 4. Mohamed Traore (ICH) 56.50, 5. Matt Feeley (ICW) 56.69, 6. John Law (ICH) 57.65.

Distance Medley
1. Prairie (Austin Dellamuth, Jarred Edmonds, Demetrius Harper, Jacob Aune) 3:33.36, 2. Iowa City High 3:34.44, 3. Linn-Mar (Perrion Scott, Jake Luerkens, Matt Simon, Josh Evans) 3:34.72, 4. Iowa City West 3:36.11, 5. Kennedy (Jacob Shannon, Famiek Cook, Josh Jahlas, Trevor Oates) 3:39.00, 6. Xavier (Nick Ball, Jordan Weber, Zach Stovie, Brandon Gradoville) 3:41.54.

800 Meter Run
1. Chase Grabau (LM) 1:58.56, 2. Bailey Wetherell (ICW) 1:58.58, 3. Jabez Walker (LM) 1:58.91, 4. Antoine Parrish (BUR) 2:00.00, 5. Dwight Donahue (ICH) 2:00.28, 6. Kaleb Greiner (ICW) 2:02.15.

4x100 Relay
1. Iowa City High 42.13, 2. Iowa City West 42.44, 3. Xavier (Nick Ball, Jordan Weber, Cal Stovie, Nick Steingreaber) 42.71, 4. Linn-Mar (Austin Fleider, Jake Luerkens, Perrion Scott, Tristan Freese) 43.43, 5. Kennedy (John Koelling, Tom Kaiser, Jacob Shannon, Derek Jacobus) 43.98, 6. Burlington 46.23.

4x400 Relay
1. Prairie (Austin Dellamuth, Jarred Edmonds, Jacob Aune, Demetrius Harper) 3:22.78, 2. Linn-Mar (Brandon Ophoff, Duggan Trenary, Austin Fleider, Matt Simon) 3:23.76, 3. Iowa City High 3:24.82, 4. Iowa City West 3:25.07, 5. Ottumwa 3:27.62, 6. Xavier (Trey Sampson, Noah Clasen, Brandon Gradoville, Zach Stovie) 3:31.94.