Newton, PCM secure spots for Drake Relays

Both Newton track and field programs will have one individual and a pair of relays competing at this year’s Drake Relays.

The Cardinals unsuccessfully bettered their times and did not add to their list during the teams’ home meet on Thursday, but Newton will be well-represented on the blue oval this week.

Leading the Cardinals will be Caden Klein and Tori White, who both locked up individual berths and will be competing in multiple events over the course of three days.

The Newton boys also qualified for the annual event in both the 4x100- and 4x400-meter relays, while the girls advanced in the 4x100 and shuttle hurdle relays.

PCM’s track and field teams also will be represented as Morgan Karr qualified in the 100 hurdles and the Mustang boys will join Newton in the 4x100 relay.

The high school portion of the Drake Relays begins Thursday and White kicks things off in the high jump at 4:30 p.m. Her best leap of 5 feet, 5 inches was good enough to be included in a seven-way tie for fifth in the state.

Four jumpers reached a higher mark and 13 cleared 5-4, which was the final qualifying mark.

Friday kicks off with Karr in the 100 hurdles prelims at 8:30 a.m. Her best time of 15.55 seconds is 19th out of 32 qualifiers.

The finals are scheduled for 10:29 a.m. The final qualifying time was 15.91 and one athlete who posted that time did not qualify.

Klein hits the blue oval twice on Friday night. He begins his busy weekend with the 400 at 5:44 p.m. His time of 49.65 was 12th out of the 16 qualifiers.

The final qualifying time was 49.94. There were four athletes who went under 50 seconds but did not advance.

Klein then anchors the Cardinals’ 4x400 relay prelims at 8:30 p.m. on Friday. The rest of the group includes Nate Lampe, Curtis Payne and Christian Ergenbright and their time of 3:26.18 ranks 20th out of 24.

The alternates will be Cody Klein, Asher Wood, Dawson Maki and Alameen Shanto.

The 4x400 relay finals are scheduled for 5:06 p.m. on Saturday. The final qualifying time was 3:27.06 and 10 teams who ran under 3:28 did not make it.

The Newton girls kick off Saturday in the shuttle hurdle relay prelims at 8:15 a.m. The Cardinal foursome of White, Mack Sims, Macy Lampe and Chloe Rorabaugh posted a time of 1:07.53, which ranks 15th.

The field was expanded from 16 teams to 20 and the final qualifying time was 1:07.76.

The alternates for the shuttle hurdle relay team will be Gracie Clayton and Lola Rivera. The finals for the event are slated for 12:02 p.m. on Saturday.

Clayton and Rivera get their crack at the blue oval for the 4x100 relay prelims and that event kicks off at 9:45 a.m. The other two runners will be Lauren Clarke and Abby Bruce and their time of 51.88 ranks tied for 74th out of the 96 qualifiers.

Those alternates will be BrookLynn Britton, Alivia Conley, Rorabaugh and Lampe. The finals are scheduled for 4:19 p.m. on Saturday.

The final girls 4x100 relay qualifying time was 52.51. Lynnville-Sully’s best time so far this season is 52.59.

Both PCM and Newton will compete in the boys’ 4x100 relay prelims starting at 10:13 a.m. on Saturday.

PCM’s group includes Griffin Olson, Gabe Hobbs, Jacob Wendt and Evan Jones and they enter the weekend with the 54th best time of 44.14. Their alternates will be Riley Graber, Tad Wilson, Carter Burns and Jack Jungling.

Newton’s foursome of Qhjuan Coley, Nick Thomason, Reilly Trease, and Ergenbright qualified with the 86th best time of 44.77. Coley will be replaced by Caden Klein this weekend due to an injury.

The alternates for the relay will be Jace Auen, Lampe, Payne and Nathan Milburn.

The finals for the race will be at 4:24 p.m. on Saturday and the final qualifying time was 44.87.

Klein competes in his fourth and final event when he toes the line for the 400 hurdles at 1:19 p.m. on Saturday. The Cardinal sophomore hit the Drake Relays Blue Standard with a time of 54.13, which ranks eighth out of 16.

The final qualifying time for the 400 hurdles was 54.86 and one athlete who ran under 55 seconds did not make it.