Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Isaiah Busick of Humboldt competes in the boys discus during the Dodgers Relays on Monday. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

The Humboldt boys track team took in a victory lap here Monday night after claiming top honors at the 65th annual Dodger Relays on the J.H. Nitzke Track.

Behind six event titles, the Wildcats held off defending champion Waukee Northwest. Marshalltown was third followed by Mason City, St. Edmond, Boone, host Fort Dodge and Eagle Grove.

Elliot Carlson, Cameron Hoag and Isaiah Busick picked up wins in field events with Humboldt grabbing gold in four relays. Mason Van Pelt was part of three of those victories.

“For us as a Class 3A team, it was an exciting opportunity to run against some really good 4A talent,” HHS head coach Greg Wickett said. “I thought our kids stepped up to the challenge and competed hard.

“(Fort Dodge athletic and activities director) Brandon Ruffridge and his staff did a great job. It was a smooth meet.”

Carlson captured the long jump with a leap of 21-4, Hoag won the high jump in a jump-off with Mason City’s Antonie Hopkins after both cleared 5-10. Busick captured the discus with a toss of 126-5.

The Wildcats finished first in the sprint medley relay. shuttle hurdle relay and 4×100. Lance Coon, Keegan Groat, Van Pelt and Landyn Denklau ran the sprint medley with Coen Matson, Tyler Carlson, Jackson Dodd and Groat on the shuttle hurdle.

Coon, Groat, Elliot Carlson and Van Pelt ran the 4×100.

The sprint medley just missed out on setting a new meet record, going 1:37.87. The mark was set by Fort Dodge in 2021 at 1:37.11 behind Christian Davidson, Sam Daniel, Jake Erickson and Jerry Chada.

Busick was also the runner-up in the shot put, and the squad secured second-place medals to the 4×800, distance medley, Mason Brown in the 400 hurdles and the 4×400.

“We had some success in the sprints, distance and middle distance events,” Wickett said. “That was great to see. We have a hard-working group that has really brought into the process. I think they have a chance to have a very good season.

“They are a pleasure to work with and we expect some great things from them.”

St. Edmond saw a number of Top-5 finishes on the evening, including a runner-up performance by Anthony Valles and bronze medals from Liam Shannon, Leo Ehn and the distance medley relay.

“After the meet in Clarion last week, I wasn’t real happy with our finish,” SEHS head coach Donn Larson said. “I was very pleased with our performances and team finish (on Monday).

“We saw plenty of PRs and a lot of strong performances against some really good teams.”

Valles placed second in the 800 with a time of 2:08.69 with Ehn taking third in the discus (119-10). Shannon was third in the 3,200 (11:08.40) and the distance medley consisted of Thomas Cosgrove, Klay Baker, Aaron Hindt and Valles, as they went 3:49.82.

Ehn was also fourth in the 400, as was Hindt in the long jump, Baker in the 200 and Valles in the 1,600. The 4×400 of Cosgrove, JT Laufersweiler, Grant Galles and Hindt placed fourth.

“It was nice to run at home and Fort Dodge put on a great meet,” Larson said. “We appreciate being able to run here, because it allows more kids to come out and cheer their friends on.”

For Eagle Grove, Syrus Willard finished fourth in the high jump and Josh Miller was fifth.

The Gaels will head to Manson Northwest Webster on Thursday.