The Raccoon Valley Radio listening area rarely has a State Track & Field meet without having at least one State Champion. Greene County High School sophomore Megan Durbin was the first from the area to get in the victory column in 2016 when she won the Class 3A girls’ high jump title early Thursday afternoon at Drake Stadium in Des Moines. Durbin and two others cleared 5′ 5″ and all three missed all three of their attempts at 5′ 6″. Durbin won the crown on fewer misses. She caps an incredible sophomore season that saw her win every meet the Rams were in, including the Drake Relays, which she won late last month with a personal best leap of 5′ 8″. She’s the first State champion in the four years Greene County HS has existed, and she’s the first female from a Jefferson-based program since 1994 to win a State title.
Durbin wasn’t the only area athlete to earn points for their team on Thursday. Destiny Scar of Nodaway Valley was fifth in the 1A 3,000 meter run in 11:31.54. Asani Abdullah of Weeodward Academy was fifth in the 2A long jump for boys at 21′ 3/4″. Panorama’s Gabe Richey was sixth in the 2A 400 meter dash in 50.59 seconds, and the ADM girls’ 4 x 800 meter relay was eighth in 3A in 9:43.27 with Anna Kenny, Ellise Mueller, Sadie Juergens, and Brianna Muelller.
ADM qualified its girls shuttle hurdle relay team for Saturday’s final with the fourth fastest time. The Tigers won their heat at 1:06.84 with Kylie Hauf, Kristen Baier, Sami Schepers, and Maggi Bjustrom.
Guthrie Center freshman Savana Fuller qualified for Saturday’s 200 meter dash in 1A with the second fastest time. Her 26.50 in Thursday’s preliminary was good enough to win her heat.
There were other quality performances by area athletes that did not place in the top eight or did not qualify for Saturday’s finals. Those are listed by school.
Class 3A
ADM boys- Jacob West 15th in the high jump 6′ 1″; shuttle hurdle relay 1:01.73, 16th (Caleb Weddle, Austin Flora, Sam McCartney, Jacob West)
Greene County boys- Max Neese 9th in 100 m dash prelims :11.41; Neese 9th in 200 m dash prelims :22.72.
Perry boys- Reece Dunlap 20th in 100 m dash prelims :11.70; Dunlap 23rd in 200 m dash prelims :23.35; 4 x 800 relay 18th in 8:30.12 (Jacob Thompson, Alex Long, Kaleb Olejniczak, Zachary Thompson); Adan Medina 21st in 400 m dash final :52.00.
Greene County girls- Megan Durbin 15th in 100 m dash prelims in :13.29.
Perry girls- Emma Olejniczak 21st in 400 m dash final in 1:04.36.
Class 2A
Panorama girls- shuttle hurdle relay 12th in prelims 1:09.12 (Miranda Mleyenk, Faith Powell, Michelle Mleynek, Morgan Johnk); Devyn Kemble 16th in 400 m dash final 1:00.95.
West Central Valley girls- Gracy Dupuy fouled all three attempts in shot put; Kassidy Bremer 12th in long jump 16′ 3/4″.
West Central Valley boys- Rylan Heffernan 11th in 3,200 run; 10:17.57; Truman Wiles 20th in shot put 45′ 5-3/4″.
Wood Academy boys- Asani Abdullah 21st in 100 m dash pralines :11.97.
Class 1A
Guthrie Center girls- Madison McDermott 18th in shot put 33′ 6-1/2″; Jennifer Fuentes 12th in 400 m dash final 1:01.44.
Guthrie Center boys- 4 x 800 m relay 17th 8:39.66 (Logan Scheuermann, TJ Wickland, Landon Foster, Samuel Courtney).
Nodaway Valley girls- Sadie Marnin 16th in 100 m dash prelims :13.60; Kenna Lundy 11th in 200 m dash prelims :27.18.
Nodaway Valley boys- 4 x 800 relay 13th 8:36.08 (Jared Corder, Ryan Jensen, Heath Downing, Brayten Funke); 3,200 m run final Brycen Wallace 9th 10:19.91 and Shane Breheny 10th 10:22.80.
Paton-Churdan girls- Megan Carey 16th in 400 m dash final 1:02.25.
Friday is another full day of action with 2A and 3A starting at 9 a.m. and 1A and 4A beginning at 2 p.m. All three Raccoon Valley Radio stations will be airing updates.