March 29, 2024

Throwing events lead PCM, CMB boys at HOIC meet

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BAXTER — Prairie City-Monroe senior Noah Clark was happy after winning his first Heart of Iowa Conference discus title Tuesday.

But Clark knows if he wants to put himself into the conversation for a state medal, he has to figure out to push the distance a few feet further.

Clark claimed one of the Mustangs’ three wins during the HOIC boys’ track and field meet. But there’s still plenty of work to do.

“It definitely feels great to win,” said Clark, who finished second in the discus last season. “I need to work much more on my lower body and getting my hips involved. I need to practice as much as I can.

“I am probably going to start throwing every day. I will do everything I can do to jump up the ranks. I have to find a way to get back up into the 150s.”

The Mustangs were fourth overall in the nine-team field, scoring 81 points. Collins-Maxwell/Baxter got a 1-2 finish in the shot put, and that guided the Raiders to a seventh-place finish with 67 points.

Class 3A Gilbert cruised to the team title with 177 points. Nevada was a distant second with 96 points, and Roland-Story (87) rounded out the top three. South Hamilton (79), North Polk (77), CMB (67), Greene County (43) and Saydel (32) rounded out the field.

PCM junior Noah Anderson was part of two wins. He won the 200-meter dash and ran one of the two 200 legs on the Mustangs’ winning distance medley relay team.

Sophomore Cole Dustin also was second in the 110 high hurdles. Senior Chris Ellens placed third in the 3,200, and the 4x200 relay team placed third.

CMB sophomore Will Clapper won his second straight conference shot put title. The Raiders went 1-2 in the event, and Clapper also was third in the discus.

“(Kemp) throws before me and he always sets the bar for what I have to do to win,” Clapper said.

“I have been working on my form the past few days, and I had some really good throws in warmups so that boosted my confidence a little bit.”

Clark came into the day as the top seed in the discus. He had the chance to watch every other athlete before stepping into the ring. He overtook the lead on his second throw and won the event with a toss of 142 feet, 3 inches.

“It gave me more time to prepare. I really like to get into the mindset so I am ready to go,” Clark said on being the final thrower to mark.

Anderson won the 200 with a time of 22.99 seconds. He joined sophomore Preston Van Wyk, junior Noah Henkenius and Ellens in winning the distance medley in 3 minutes, 48.53 seconds.

Dustin finished second in the 110 high hurdles with a time of 16.06.

Ellens’ third-place time in the two mile was clocked at 10:12.39.

The Mustangs’ 4x200 relay team was third.

That foursome included sophomore Payton Strovers, Henkenius, Van Wyk and Anderson. They finished in 1:35.27.

Clapper’s winning throw of 50-10 came on his second toss. Kemp had a brief lead and set the gold-medal bar with his throw of 49-1 1/2.

“I was real happy with that winning throw,” Clapper said. “I got a lot of power behind that one. That one felt good. There is still a bunch of stuff to work on.”

Clapper was third in the discus, too. His bronze-medal throw covered 133-10.

Sophomore Ben Huff was fourth in the long jump, junior Carter Fricke placed fourth in the 400 and the shuttle hurdle relay team placed fourth.

The shuttle hurdle relay team included juniors Joe Keeling and Marcus Mitchell, freshman Brett Livesay and senior Ben Gunderson. They finished in 1:05.74.

PCM and CMB both compete in the Cardinal Relays at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in Newton.