—Submitted photo Fort Dodge’s Nik Moser competes against Davenport North’s Marques Simmons in the finals of the 2001 200-meter dash. Moser edged Simmons by .01 to set the state record at 21.33.

In 2001 Nik Moser knew he had to come up with something special to become the 200-meter dash champion, in fact he had to come up with a time that nobody had ever ran before.

Heading into the finals of the Class 4A event, Moser, who went on to play football at Iowa State, had the second fastest qualifying time behind Davenport North sprinter Marques Simmons, who was a top football recruit for Nebraska.

“The qualifying was different back then where you could set qualifying times through out the season in any event, so you would have guys qualify for a bunch of events and then not run them at state because they were placed in relays,” Moser said. “Hakim Hill (who was recruited by Arizona State) and Calvin Davis (who went to Iowa) qualified, but they didn’t run because they competed in other events.

“I knew Marques was going to run. So in the prelims there was only about four or five guys and a total of 15 or so that actually competed.”

The night before the finals, the 2001 Fort Dodge Senior High graduate, was sitting in the hotel with his coaches (his dad Sam Moser and Matt Miller) discussing what would need to happen for Moser to repeat as the 200 champion.

“I ran a 21.7 in my prelim and Simmons’ time I believe was 21.6. I was back at the hotel in my room with Mill and my dad. They said to beat him you are going to have to break the state record,” Moser said. “When we lined up to race they were announcing the runners and when they got to Simmons they were listing off all of his accomplishments. When they got to me the announcer (Tom Kroeschell) said “And in Lane 5, last year’s champion Nik Moser.

“Everyone definitely thought Simmons was going to win it.”

Simmons was the 100 and 200 champion as a sophomore and also earned the 100 crown in 2001. Moser, had two titles (200, 400-meter low hurdles) to his name entering the race.

“I knew Simmons would get out quicker because he was a 100 guy and I felt through the first 100 to 120 I had to be even with him,” Moser said. “I knew with him on the inside he would be on my shoulder on the first 40 because I was in Lane 5 and he was in Lane 4. We got through the first 120 and he was an arm’s length away. I knew I could beat him in the last 50.

“I was a little behind him in the first 100 and I stayed with him and it was close at the tape.”

Simmons stumbled across the finish line as track officials had to go to video to decide the winner.

“I remember Nik continued to run through the finish line and Simmons stumbled across,” said Sam Moser. “It looked like Nik finished stronger as Simmons came across. It was a pretty intense 30 seconds as they looked at the tape.

“I thought Nik had him, but I was sure it was a darn good time.”

It was the state’s best time as Moser was eventually named the winner in a time of 21.33, .01 ahead of Simmons (21.34). Both runners beat the state record of Ankeny’s Kevin Little (21.50) which stood since 1986.

“Drake Stadium got pretty quiet and they had to go to a photo finish,” Moser said. “It only took about 10 or 15 seconds, but it felt like a couple of minutes. Then they announced the time, and me as the winner with a state record time.

“Kyle Messerly’s dad video taped it and I was watching it. At the end you could hear somebody say Iowa State just beat Nebraska.”

Sam, who coached track for the Dodgers from 1980 until retiring in 2007, was amazed by the race.

“The 200 is a sprint and I knew Nik was fast and he had some speed,” Sam said. “He just loved to compete.

“Marques was a talented kid, who was going to Nebraska to play football. All the conversations were about how fast he was. I was sitting up in the stands. I coached track for a long time and that was the most competitive 200 race I ever saw.”

Later in the day Moser would go on to finish his second straight double championship repeating as the 400-low winner.

“We had a really great group of guys when I ran track. Quennel McCaleb (won the 200 in 1998), Brad Klein and Leif Halverson were all solid runners,” said Moser who ended up holding the state record for around 13 years. “In my sophomore year, Brad, Leif, myself and Martel Moreland broke the 4×400 record.”

The 200-meter dash wasn’t always on Moser’s radar as he was more focused on the 400 lows.

“Back then there was no 200 for the Drake Relays, so it wasn’t something on my mind,” Said Moser, who currently holds the FDSH 200 record. “Mill and my dad looked at my times and we tried it at the conference meet and I finished second behind Brad. We had one more meet after conference and I won that and it was the fastest time in the state.

“I ended up finishing first and Davis got second my junior year. At the Drake Relays I ended up getting second in the 400 to Ryan Boyington of Hampton-Dumont, by .01.

“So beating Simmons by .01 was a close time that I’ve seen before.”

Moser’s success on the track helped guide him in every other sport he competed in.

“My biggest thing was I wanted to compete. I love team sports (football, basketball and baseball). Track is more of individual sport, but I just love to compete,” Moser said. “Track is great sport, because everyone who wants to be an athlete has to run. Baseball, basketball, football — need to run. That was the thing that drew me in.

“I liked running and sprinting and competing.”

Moser believes his time on the track at Fort Dodge Senior High led to his accomplishments on the football field in Ames.

“Track is why I ended up at Iowa State playing football,” Moser said. “It opened up doors. Coaches can evaluate you on the field and they can see that you’re fast. But when you put down a time on the track, they have a time. A guy may look fast on film, but the proof is on the track.

“After I won (at state) my junior year, I got an offer from Iowa State because they knew about me.”

Moser, who is entering his first year as head coach for the Dodger football team, was disappointed to see spring sports get canceled this season.

“It’s disappointing that this group of Dodgers didn’t get to run on the track,” Moser said. “I wanted to read about their accomplishments at state with guys like Asle (Thorson), Tysen (Kershaw), Brycen (Bell) and Tyler (Schreier).

“They had a talented group that was going to bring back some gold for Fort Dodge.”