Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Junior Mariah Myers of St. Edmond will be competing at the Drake Relays.

DES MOINES — For Mariah Myers, competing against elite talent has become the norm.

The University of Iowa softball commit has toured the United States for the past several years, competing in some of the biggest tournaments on the diamond.

This week, though, Myers will get her chance to do the same in a different sport.

A St. Edmond junior, Myers qualified for the Drake Relays in the discus. She will compete Friday morning at 8:30 a.m. from Drake Stadium.

Joining Myers will be the Fort Dodge boys 4×100-meter relay team. Potential runners include senior Omarion Myers-Zimmermann; juniors Jamarius Gibbs-Green or Drake Warland; sophomores Noah Daniel or Tytrell Mosley; or freshman Kyree Rochon. They hit the Blue Oval on Saturday morning.

Area qualifiers include Ashlyn Works from Humboldt, Maddie Fehr of West Bend-Mallard, Rachel Schany from Emmetsburg and Algona’s Max Nevitt, Madison Ehrig and the Bulldog boys 4×100 relay.

With a throw of 123-7 at a meet in Clarion earlier this year, Myers earned her spot in the field. She ranks 27th overall and sixth in Class 1A.

“It means a lot to me that I get to compete at such a competitive event,” Myers said. “Qualyfing for Drake has been one of my goals from the beginning of the year.

“I can’t wait to watch and compete against the best throwers in the state from all classes.”

Reese Goodlet of Pleasant Valley leads the way with a throw of 145-9 while Charlee Morton from Hampton-Dumont/CAL is second and the defending relays champion in both throwing events. Goodlet was the runner-up to Morton a year ago.

Myers has competed against Morton this season.

The Dodger relay went 44.74 to qualify at Drake Stadium during the Jim Duncan Invitational a few weeks back. Rochon, a freshman, was part of the Fort Dodge Middle School 4×1 that placed 15th here last season.

Works, a senior, will join Myers in the discus event. She qualified with a throw of 130-9 earlier this month, which has her 13th in the state.

Fehr, a sophomore, set the school-record in the 100 and will run here on Friday afternoon. Her time of 12.41 is tied for sixth in all classes.

Schany, also a sophomore, qualified in the high jump (Friday at 4:30 p.m.) and long jump (Saturday at 8:30 a.m.). She is currently 21st in the long jump, and tied for seventh in the event here last season.

Ehrig will be in the high jump Thursday, while Schany while Nevitt will compete Friday morning at 9 a.m. in the shot put. Ehrig and Schany are both tied for 14th, clearing 5-foot-4, with Nevitt tied for 23rd.

Algona’s girls 4×100 of Lilly Allie, Kaitlyn Burns, Summer Thompson and Natalie Johnson will run on Saturday at 9:40 a.m., with the boys quartet of William Weichert, Jack Limbaugh, Levi Walker and Evan Allie in action at 10:12 a.m.

Several former prep standouts are slated for action during the event. Aaron Lursen, a St. Edmond grad, is listed on the Wartburg 4×800 relay. Humboldt prep Quinton Orr is on the Iowa State sprint medley.

Kiersten Fisher of Southeast Valley will compete in the Heptathlon for Iowa State alongside Cyclone teammate Sydney Willits. Willits — the granddaughter of Fort Dodge’s Fran and Barb Long and daughter of FDSH graduate Christie (Long) Willits — will also be in action in the long jump.

Spencer Moon, a former South Central Calhoun standout now at Simpson, is entered in the 1,500.

From Iowa Central, Jed Elmbarki (Steeplechase), Stephen Sydnor (long jump), Waukeem Walters (long jump) and Dayvion Briggs (400 hurdles) have all qualified. The Tritons are also entered in the men’s 4×100, 4×400, 4×800, sprint medley and distance medley relays, along with the women’s 4×400.

DRAKE RELAYS

Area high school qualifiers

Thursday’s events

High jump (4:30 p.m.) — Rachel Schany, Emmetsburg; Madison Ehrig, Algona.

Friday’s events

Discus (8:30 a.m.) — Mariah Myers, St. Edmond; Ashlyn Works, Humboldt; long jump (8:30 a.m.) — Rachel Schany, Emmetsburg; shot put (9 a.m.) — Max Nevitt, Algona; 100-meter dash (2:50 p.m.) — Maddie Fehr, West Bend-Mallard.

Saturday’s events

4×100-meter relay (9:40 a.m.) — Algona girls; 4×100-meter relay (10:12 a.m.) — Fort Dodge boys; Algona boys.