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FAREWELL, CHAMPS

Meyer, PAC girls go out on top; another title for North Union’s Bauer

Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Faith Meyer clears a hurdle for Pocahontas Area at the state track meet in Des Moines. Meyer captured the 100-meter hurdles championship on Saturday. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

DES MOINES — The 2017 Pocahontas Area senior class closed out the state track meet here on Saturday with more hardware for the trophy case.

Faith Meyer won the 100-meter hurdles, the shuttle hurdle relay claimed gold, and the Indians placed third overall in the Class 2A team standings inside Drake Stadium.

Cascade was the champion with 65 points, Mid-Prairie second with 58 and Pocahontas Area claimed third with 44 — two points ahead of Monticello.

It was a fitting finale for many of the athletes who helped the program to back-to-back state basketball titles and a cross country team championship in 2014.

Grace Meyer ran the opening leg of the winning shuttle hurdle relay, with Payton Hjerleid, Jessica Sump and Faith Meyer completing the quartet. They clocked a time of 1:05.72, which was just off the previous state record set in 2011 by West Fork at 1:05.29.

Cascade placed second in 1:06.53.

“Going into the shuttle, we knew we had to hit the break lines and couldn’t leave too soon,” said Faith Meyer, who will play basketball at Morningside College with her sister next year. “We knew it was going to be close and we had to run hard and run our race.”

Meyer posted a time of 15.54, edging out Cascade’s Lisa Tucker for gold in the high hurdles. She had the second-fastest qualifying time entering the event behind only Tucker.

“I just kept my focus (ahead of the 100 hurdles),” Meyer said. “I got into my blocks, waited for the sound of the gun and attached each hurdle.”

Last year at state, Meyer was part of two runner-up relays. She was also a key component to the success of the cross country, volleyball and basketball programs at PAC along with her sister, Grace, and Ruffridge.

“This means a lot to me,” Meyer said. “I have been working hard on my hurdles all year long and it feels amazing to accomplish this.

“It’s like a dream come true, and I wouldn’t have wanted it to end any other way.”

The Meyer twins, Ruffridge and freshman Kaylee Shivers placed seventh in the 4×400 in 4:08.58.

Riley Bauer defended his 1A 1600-meter title, and did so in record-breaking fashion. The North Union junior broke a 31-year-old state mark by finishing in 4:18.43, almost two seconds better than the previous mark set by LeMars Gehlen’s Paul Barnart.

Bauer, who was a runner-up in the 3200 and anchored the second place distance medley relay, earned gold by besting Central Lyon’s Gable Sieperda. It was Sieperda who set a state record in winning the 3200 over Bauer.

Algona’s Trey Engen showed he will be a force in the distance events for the next two years, placing second in the 3A 1600. The sophomore knocked almost 10 seconds off his personal best coming in, finishing in 4:26.55.

The 1600 was won by Marion junior Myles Bach in 4:25.12, who also picked up the 3200 title. He took both events as a sophomore as well.

Engen’s Bulldog teammate Samonte Bawden placed fourth in the 200. Bawden, the only freshman in the final, clocked a time of 22.87.

Spencer Warehime capped off his running career at Southeast Valley with a fourth in the 2A 1600. Warehime finished in 4:27.49, taking almost eight seconds off his best from earlier this year.

Ogden’s Andrew Stumbo finished off the distance double by adding the 1600 to his 3200 crown from earlier.

Two area athletes claimed medals in the 2A 800, as East Sac County’s Konner Roth was sixth (2:00.01) with South Central Calhoun’s Chase McAlister placing seventh (2:00.10).

Kingsley-Pierson’s Alec Still was the event winner in the 800.

Humboldt freshman Bryce Gidel claimed a second Top-8 finish, placing seventh in the 3A 1500 in 4:48.08. Gidel knocked over eight seconds off her previous best.

Joy Ripslinger of Davenport Assumption won the 1500 in a state-meet record time of 4:39.00. She also claimed the 400, 800 and 3000 crowns during state, becoming the first girl to accomplish the feat.

Allison Birks scored a seventh in the 2A 200, as she finished in 26.87. Madrid’s Rylan Santi won the event in 25.93.

Saturday’s attendance was announced at 8,544, bringing the three-day total to 36,028. Despite less than ideal weather, that total was the fourth-best since 2005 when the state went to a co-ed meet.

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