The Drake Relays is a four day track and field celebration in Des Moines to end April that allows fans to see the best in world class, collegiate, and Iowa high school athletes all at once. Greene County senior Jackson Morton automatically qualified for Drake in the 110 meter high hurdles by covering the distance in 14.82 seconds on Monday night at the Carroll Relays. He handily won the race and in the process set a personal record, a Greene County school record, and he moved into the top four among all Iowa high school performances in that event according to Varsity Bound, the statistical website.

That wasn’t all the Rams won on what was by far the best night of weather early in the Greene County track & field season. The boys captured first place in the team race, totaling six first place finishes and one more placed second. Coach Morton was very pleased and called it a total team effort. Other first place finishes for the Rams were in the discus throw from Jesse Miller at 129′ 5″, Bryce Stalder at 20′ 7-1/2″ in the long junp, the 4 x 100 meter relay in :45.38 with Camden Strennen, Morton, Stalder, and Miller. That same quartet won the 4 x 400 in 3:39.34, and the shuttle hurdle relay was first in 1:02.88 with Landyn Venteicher, Black, Stalder, and Morton. Black was second in the high jump at 6′ 0″, a season best.

Coach Derek Merk was also pleased about what the Greene County girls accomplished at Carroll, with 12 personal records. Olivia Shannon continues to shine as she won the long jump at 16′ 5″, jumping nearly eight inches farther than her previous best, and she’s in her first year in the event. Shannon also won the 4oo meter hurdles race in 1:11.80, which is an event new to her, and she placed second in the 100 meter dash in 13.27 seconds.