Hawks celebrate another win

BELLE PLAINE — The Lynnville-Sully boys track team is the proverbial zone.

The Hawks came into Thursday’s Class 1A state qualifying meet with a five-meet win streak, and the team made it six in a row following another strong effort up and down the lineup.

Senior Sage Ehresman won three individual events, the Hawks went 1-2 in the discus and also got victories from Ryan Hofer in the 110-meter hurdles and Corey McCoy in the 800-meter run.

“We are so proud of these guys. It’s been a fun year,” L-S coach Mike Parkinson said. “There was a point in time when things just turned. We have continued to get better and better and better. Tonight, we just stepped up big time.”

The first-place finishers from each 1A state qualifier earn automatic bids into next week’s state meet. The next 12 best times or distances also earn at-large bids.

Full results of the meet were unavailable at presstime, but Colfax-Mingo’s Jacob Lietz won his 17th straight 400-meter dash midway through the meet. His teammate, Gabe Simpson, came across shortly after to take the silver.

“If I have to lose to anybody, I want it to be Jake,” Simpson said.

“We treat track as a team sport. We want everyone on the team to do well,” Simpson said.

Simpson has to wait to see if his time is good enough to earn an at-large berth. The Tigerhawks’ 4x400 team featuring Blake Summy, Simpson, Colin Lourens and Lietz also will have to wait as they finished second with a season-best time.

Ehresman is glad he doesn’t have to wait to find out if he’ll return to the blue oval. He’ll definitely be involved in three individual events.

“I love the pressure. It’s my last year. You have to do the best you can,” Ehresman said.

Ehresman won the 100-meter dash, defeating three higher seeds for the first time in his career. Parkinson greeted his senior leader along the fence with a handshake and hug after the win.

“He shows up every day, who wants to work and get better,” Parkinson said. “I haven’t had to motivate that young man ever. He just has a lot of that on the inside. He really showed up and brought his ‘A’ game tonight.”

Ehresman’s other wins came in the shot put and discus. HIs teammate, Noah Engle, was th runner-up in the discus.

“It’s phenomenal. When he popped that last one out there, I was so excited for him,” Ehresman said of Engle’s best throw. “His throw is my throw and my throw is his throw. It’s great to go 1-2. Plus, that helped us for team points.”

Hofer will be a participant in the state meet for the first time. He won a tight race with a strong finish. McCoy’s 800 win also came down to the final seconds.

“We talk a lot about finishing. This team just doesn’t give up, and they compete with a lot of guts,” Parkinson said.

Lietz is unbeaten in the 400 this season. As soon as he crosses the finish line, he looks back to see where his teammate ended up. Thursday, the two celebrated a 1-2 finish with a big hug.

“Without Gabe, I wouldn’t be where I am at. And I think he’d say the same thing,” Lietz said. “It means a lot to see us both succeeding this year. We want the best for each other.”

Both teams will wait to see what else, if anything, qualifies for next week’s state meet.

The Tigerhawks’ 4x400 relay has a shot. So does the distance medley relay, which placed third with Summy, Lourens, Lietz and Simpson.

Lourens popped off his best leap of the season in the long jump, but his mark of 20 feet, 4 1/2 inches netted him third overall. That should be good enough to lock up an at-large spot though.