By DANA BECKER

sports@messengernews.net

DES MOINES — To say the conditions were less than ideal here Friday during the 108th running of the Drake Relays would be an drastic understatement.

With temperatures dropping at an alarming rate and rain constantly coming down, area athletes still braved the elements to showcase their abilities in several events.

A trio of throwers competed in the shot put, with Webster City’s Cassidy Nerland earning the highest finish at 16th.

Nerland, a junior for the Lynx, had a best of 37-4 to secure her place. She also had throws of 36-0.25 and 32-9.

Manson Northwest Webster’s Becca Krueger was 17th with a best of 36-9.5, while Pocahontas Area’s Kenzie Sullivan settled for 18th with a throw of 36-7.25. Sullivan was the runner-up Thursday here in the discus.

Kat Moody from Waukee won the event with a toss of 43-10.

Kaylee Shivers, a freshman for the Indians, was 17th in the high jump. She cleared 5-0 before bowing out at 5-2. North Polk’s Maria Gorham was declared the winner at 5-7.

Fort Dodge’s Shariah Smith and South Central Calhoun’s Allison Birks competed in the 100 prelims. Smith ended up 23rd overall with a time of 12.87, while Birks was 31st in 13.21.

Kerris Roberts from Waterloo East claimed the Drake title with a finals time of 11.87.

South Central Calhoun’s Kody Case did not run his 100. Isaiah Trousit from West Burlington earned his third 100 title in a time of 10.53.

Three teams attempted to land a spot in the 4×100 relay finals, as Fort Dodge was 21st, Algona 39th and Webster City 75th.

Smith, Shareece Smith, Daphne Alstott and Car’Maiya Mosley went 50-74 for the Dodgers; Sam Hood, Janna Julius, Abby Groen and Amanda Hentges had a time of 51.42 for place fourth in their heat for the Bulldogs; and Ashlyn Hay, Zoey Woodle, Tatum Goings and Haley Flaws went 53.22 for the Lynx.

Waterloo East had the quickest qualifying time in 48.92.

Fort Dodge and Webster City also ran the boys 4×100, as the Dodgers were 53rd in 45.14 and the Lynx were 51st in 45.10.

Kaleb Jondle, Luke Jacobson, Brycen Bell and Trey Mosley competed for the Dodgers, with Jordan Tanner, Zane Carter, Payton Kannuan and Zane Williams running for the Lynx. They were fourth in their heat.

Western Dubuque had the top qualifying time in 42.62.

The Pocahontas Area girls will run in the shuttle hurdle relay on Saturday at 8 a.m., while North Union’s Riley Bauer is scheduled for the 1600 at 12:52 p.m.

Tritons grab pair of silvers

DES MOINES — The Iowa Central track and field team scored two silvers competing against NCAA Div. I athletes here Friday.

Annastacia Forrester was second in the long jump and Odaine Lewis finished as the runner-up in the triple jump.

Forrester had a leap of 19-9.75, putting her just behind winner Jhoanmy Luque of Iowa State, who went 20-1. Lewis, meanwhile, cleared 49-7 to place behind Kent State’s Craig Stevens, who went 49-10.

The Tritons were 15th overall in the 4×800 with a time of 7:54.35. Alex Sanford, Denzelle Anglin, Esu Alemsged and Ashenafi Hatte comprised the unit.

Mesha Newbold finished 21st in the 100 hurdles in 14.46 and the sprint medley of Karayme Bartley, Malik Beverly, Caleb Ogden and Sanford were 11th in 3:32.52.

Iowa Central qualified four events for finals on Saturday, including the top time in the 100 courtesy of Nelda Huggins. Huggins ripped off a run of 11.59 on Friday in her prelim race and will compete against seventh NCAA Div. I runners in the finals.

Beverly went 13.84 for the second-fastest time in prelims for the Gary Osborn 110 hurdles.

The Triton 4×400 of Bartley, Kymari Gates, Ogden and Edward Anderson will be seeded second in the men’s race after recording a time of 3:15.15, while Bryant Brown qualified eighth in the 100 in 10.58.

Iowa Central’s 4×100 of Newbold, Huggins, Forrester and Alexus Williams just missed out, placing ninth in 47.72. The men were disqualified in the 4×100.

Several former local and area runners also hit the blue track during the day. St. Edmond graduate Casey McEvoy helped Briar Cliff to a sixth place performance in the 4×800 with a time of 7:48.49, while former Southeast Valley prep Erica Rittgers was on the Wartburg 4×800 relay that was seventh in 9:28.13.

Webster City grad Allie Flaws anchored the Grand View 4×100 relay that was 18th in 48.76.

In the 4×800 university division, Tiffany Christensen helped Northern Iowa place fifth in 8:55.69. Christensen is a former state champion from Eagle Grove.