Newton wraps up track season at state

DES MOINES — Newton High seniors Brennen Dodd and Connor Gholson concluded their high school track season at the 2017 Iowa High School Track and Field Championships. The two ran in relays for the Cardinal boys on Friday at Drake University stadium in Des Moines.

Newton’s athletes did not collect any state medals in 2017. The girls qualified in three events — two were on Thursday and one on Friday — and all will return for the Cardinals next year.

Junior Haley Revell competed in her second straight state meet. She finished 20th in Friday’s Class 4A shot put event on a throw of 34 feet, 3 1/2 inches. The athletes had to wait for officials to dry out the throwing ring before early morning competition.

Revell was in the Class 3A event a year ago.

Gholson ran on both state-meet qualifying relays for the Cardinals. He combined with Dodd and juniors Matthew Karsten and Jack Callaghan in the 4A 1,600-meter distance medley relay race. The Cardinals finished 13th in 3 minutes, 39.17 seconds.

Later in Friday’s raw weather conditions — wet, windy and cold — the Cardinal boys competed in the 4A 4x100 relay preliminary races. Newton’s foursome of freshman Jeremiah Johnson, junior Jaron Roush, Gholson and Karsten posted a time of 43.91 seconds, which was 17th. The fastest eight times advance to the finals.

“We ran well considering the conditions. Our 4x100 was the best time of the season,” Gholson said. “It was a bit chilly and more rainy than I wanted it to be, but it was a lot of fun competing at the state meet. It was a good experience and end my high school athletic career here.”

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