Washington Boys Track

Gorman, J-Hawks shine at Wartburg track

WAVERLY - Cedar Rapids Washington freshman Reagan Gorman captured the 1,500- and 3,000-meter runs at the Wartburg indoor track meet Tuesday in Waverly.

Gorman won the 1,500 in 5:02.30 and claimed the 3,000 in 10:56.08.

Manny Olutunde of Jefferson won the 200-meter dash in 23.26 seconds. The Jefferson boys also took the 4x200 relay in 1:35.14.

Hannah Frazee of Prairie finished second in the 3,000 (11:03.93). Cheynee Mitchell of Kennedy placed third in the 55 dash (7.74), Katie Beer of Kennedy tied for third in the long jump (15-10 1/2) and the Cougars placed third in the 4x200 relay (1:53.22).

Jackson Coker of Kennedy placed second in the shot put (51-11) and the Washington Warriors were the runner-up in the boys 4x200 relay (1:35.62) in a tight race with Jefferson.

The Washington Warriors collected third-place showings from Alex Herzog in the 55 dash (6.63), Isaiah Nimmers in the 200 (23.53), Andrew Dostal in the 400 (53.62) and Dallas Hobbs in the shot put (51-5).

Herzog will run at Northern Iowa

Alex Herzog of Cedar Rapids Washington plans to continue his track career at the University of Northern Iowa.

"Blessed and excited to announce that I have verbally committed to run track at UNI next year! Unbelievable feeling," he announced on his Twitter account Monday.

Herzog, a sprinter, qualified for the Class 4A state meet as a junior last May in the 100, 200, 4x100 relay and 4x200 relay. He helped the Warriors finished seventh in the 4x100 relay and place ninth in the 4x200.

He did not qualify for the finals in the 100 or 200.

Herzog is also a prominent member of the Washington football team.

Scott helps Linn-Mar take 4x200

DES MOINES - Linn-Mar senior Perrion Scott wanted to make a last hurrah at the Class 4A state track meet before heading off to college.

He got it Friday.

Scott ran a sensational anchor leg on the 4x200 relay and led the Lions to victory in a bang-bang finish at Drake Stadium.

Scott seemingly came out of nowhere and leaned across the finish line to give Linn-Mar the victory in 1 minute, 29.13 seconds in one of the closest races in state history.

Ankeny Centennial finished second in 1:29.14 and Cedar Falls was third in 1:29.17, with only four-hundredths of a second separating the top three finishers.

Sean Zimmerman, Tristan Freese and Daniel Gorsich joined Scott on the 4x200 relay.

Read more...

Rima claims state title in 400

DES MOINES - Jalen Rima scrunched his face and shook his head when former Cedar Rapids Prairie football coach Mike Morrissey told him to join the track team two years ago.

Rima did not want to run around in circles, but Morrissey made it perfectly clear: No track, no football.

"I wasn't going to go out my freshman year, but because of him I went out," Rima said Thursday, all smiles. "Thank god he made me."

Rima blazed to victory in the 400 meter dash in 48.85 seconds at the Class 4A state track meet in Des Moines and is now perfectly happy to run track instead of just running pass patterns.

In fact, the faster he runs in track, the more attention he gets from Division I college football teams. Iowa, Iowa State, Northern Iowa and others called Morrissey a few days after Rima ran an incredibly fast 400 meter split in a relay at the Drake Relays this year.

Read more...