March 28, 2024

Cardinal boys have the long and short covered on the track

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Top athletes in the short and the long races are back on the track for Newton High’s boys in 2015.

“We are very excited about this year’s season. We have a number of strong returning athletes, who are setting a great example for all of our new athletes joining the program as freshman or first-time track competitors,” said Tom Bartello, third-year head coach for the Newton boys.

Soaring to new heights and faster times is senior Deonne Harris. Harris is the Cardinals’ top hurdler. He is the defending two-time 110-meter hurdle champion of the Little Hawkeye Conference. He placed fourth in the hurdles at the 2014 Drake Relays and earned the sixth-place medal in the Iowa Class 4A state meet hurdle race.

Harris has a best time of 14.51 seconds in the 110-meter high hurdles. He ran 14.75 seconds in the state meet finals against a field of seniors. Harris anchored the LHC champion and state qualifying 110-meter shuttle hurdle relay for the Cardinals last year.

Seniors Jarom Williams and J.T. Thongvanh we’re on that shuttle hurdle relay team. At state, Newton finished 13th.

Williams finished third in 200-meter dash at the Little Hawkeye Conference meet and the 4A district. Williams and Thongvanh have the top two times in the 200 — 23.18 seconds and 24.71 seconds, respectively — for Newton.

Thongvanh is the top returner in the 100-meter dash, 11.40, and Williams is the top 400 runner in 55.90. Harris and junior Jake Bennett are 1-2 in the 400-meter hurdles for Newton.

Then you go to the distance races and find seniors Jacob Thomas and Christian Laube and junior Zach Theis. All three return in the 1,600 while Thomas has the best time in the event along with the 800. Laube is back as the top 3,200-meter runner.

Williams has the best distance in the long jump for Newton at 20 feet, 4.75 inches. He finished third in the long jump at the Little Hawkeye Conference meet and the 4A district meet. Williams just missed qualifying for state in the event.

In the throws, seniors Mason Bowes and Collin Daniels return for the Cardinals. Bowes had throws of 40-6.50 in the shot put and 113-8.50 in the discus last year as the top thrower returning.

“Our indoor season went very well,” Bartello said. “We were able to see the improvements our returning athletes have made since last year, and were able to get a good feel for where our new athletes are and their potential for the outdoor season.”

Bartello said Harris competed very well in the indoor season, running personal-best times from his races last year. Williams competed strong in the indoor season, recording a personal-best jump in the long jump and winning the open 200 and 400 at the indoor conference meet.

“Mason Bowes threw well during our indoor season. Jake Bennett is a well-round athlete who can run everything from hurdles to the 800,” Bartello said. “Joining our team this year is senior Harrison McCarry, who ran cross country in the fall. We are looking forward to seeing him compete in a number of sprinting events.”

Bartello said the Newton boys have been working hard in practices, putting forth the effort to prepare well for the outdoor season. Newton opens its 2015 season Thursday at Southeast Polk.

“While our younger athletes will have a bit of an adjustment period, we are excited about this season, as well as the future of the program,” Bartello said. “We are looking forward to the outdoor season and getting to see all of our athletes compete and show the results of the hard work they have put in already this season.’

Others on the team are senior Collin Jacobsen, sophomores Josh Mayhew, Alex Miller, Riley Nine, Reed Shepard, Skyler Tool and Lucas Montgomery and freshmen De’Andre Roush, Jaron Roush, Landon Hansen, Josh Miravalles, Clayton Baltisberger, Carson Cazett, Matthew Karsten, Mikey Bradley, Jace Lukefahr, Brian Brimson, Dylan Main, Blake Robson, Benny Cheng and Jack Callaghan.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com