Small flock of Cardinals compete at Eastern Iowa Track & Field Festival

IOWA CITY — The Newton boys track and field team sent a small contingent to the Eastern part of the state on Saturday, and the Cardinals posted times fast enough to rank in the top 20 of Class 3A in all three events.

Caden Klein now has the second-fastest 400-meter time in 3A after posting a career-best 49.65 seconds and finishing third at the Eastern Iowa Track & Field Festival. The time also ranks ninth in the state overall.

Klein joined Reilly Trease, Austin Arauz and Curtis Payne in the shuttle hurdle relay, too. That group finished fourth in a season-best 1 minute, 2.52 seconds. That time ranks ninth in 3A.

The Cardinals also competed in the 4x200 relay. The foursome of Payne, Ali Yahia, Alameen Shanto and Christian Ergenbright finished sixth in 1:32.45.

That’s Newton’s second-fastest time this season and would be ranked around 16th in 3A.