A preview of the relays
April 25, 2014
One of the largest meets of City’s track and field season has arrived.
Bryson Runge ’15, a 3 time returning participant at Drake, feels that the pressure is on.
“I’m more nervous than I’ve ever been,” Runge said, “but more excited than I’ve ever been at the same time.”
Bryson will be participating in the open 100, the 4×100 – a relay team whose time is currently first in the state – and the 4×200. He was originally set to run in the medley as well, but opted out in order to keep his race load down.
Kole Butler ’14, another return competitor, shares his teammate’s sentiments.
“I’m not nervous yet, but I know I will be before my races,” Butler said
Butler has a heavy race load as well, running in the 110 meter high hurdles, the 4×100, 4×200, and shuttle hurdle relay.
“I’d like to win something at Drake, at least one event. That atmosphere at drake is so awesome, it’s such a big venue and that fuels adrenaline, for me at least, so I think everyone will go out and perform well,” Butler said.
Runge hopes to win as well, having taken second twice before in relays at Drake.
“I’m a lot more focused and my team is as well. I’m racing with Chuck Riley, Kole Butler, Xavier Washpun, and Alec James. I couldn’t ask to run with any other people. I love my teammates and will do anything to help us win,” Runge said.
The Little Hawk 4×100 team currently leads the state. The group of six possible participants has been working with handoffs, and will continue to improve at a nearby track while at the relays, according to Butler.
The roster for City’s participants in the Relays is as follows:
Bryson Runge: 100 meter dash open
Kole Butler: 110 meter high hurdles
4×100 meter relay team: Xavier Washpun ’14, Chuck Riley ’15, Bryson Runge, Kole Butler, Cory Lindsey ’14, and Rajay Rodney ’17. Runge, Kole, and Lindsey are all expected to run, the 4th sport likely being filled by either Riley or Washpun. Rodney is an alternate.
4×200 meter relay team: Kole Butler, Cory Lindsey, Alec James ’15, Bryson Runge, Chuck Riley, and Rajay Rodney. Runge, Lindsey, and Butler are expected to run, the 4th spot being filled before the race.
Shuttle hurdle: Sy Butler ’16, Kole Butler, Cory Lindsey, and Kevin Buell will run; Jake Leohr ’14 and Dillon Africa ’17 are on the card as alternates.
Medley: Cory Lindsey and Alec James are set to run the 200’s. The final 2 runners will be selected between Ryan Dorman ’14, Tom McDowell ’16 and Ali Omar ’16.
Both Ryan Dorman and Rasheem Shivers ’14, two of City’s top distance runners and defending state champions, were injured earlier in the season and are being watched for progress. Shivers is currently ineligible to compete, but will be attending the relays.
“Of our distance runners who are going, Tom McDowell is the man to watch. He has had a fantastic season dropping from a 2:08 to a 2:02 and has been a key part in filling in for Ryan and Rasheem,” Jens Dancer ’15 said.
Dorman and Shivers still lead the team despite injury, according to Dancer.
“As far as Ryan and Rasheem go, I can’t completely speak for them, but I’m sure all they can focus on now is getting back at it and preparing for state where they can prove what they’ve got,” Dancer said.
The Drake Relays will stretch through Saturday, with the majority of preliminary races on Friday and finals over the weekend.
According to Runge, there is only one thing left to do:
“Just win, that has always been my goal, for my teammates and myself alike.”
Hugging after their 4×100 victory.
The Little Hawks take first place in their 4x100m relay, and second place in the 100m dash.
After two days of statewide competition, the Little Hawk Boys have finished with the Drake Relays and are well on their way towards the state meet.
The Little Hawks finished first in the 4×100 meter relay over Waukee, a relay run by Kole Butler ’14, Bryson Runge ’15, Cory Lindsey ’14, and Chuck Riley ’15, and placed second in the 100 meter open run by Bryson Runge.
“We deserved to win more than any other team did, we had more determination, Waukee were the only other ones in contention,” Runge said.
The team finished with a time of 42.36, a narrow 0.02 second lead ahead of Waukee. According to relay coach Michael Moore, this was the first time the team had officially run together.
“It was a pretty amazing experience, all of the people who showed up cheering City, the motivation of the crowd pushed us,” Riley said.
The boys placed 6th in the 4×200 meter relay run by Kole Butler, Cory Lindsey, Alec James ’14, and Bryson Runge. Butler took 7th in the 110 meter hurdles, and competed in the 4×110 team that took eighth place with Cory Lindsey, Kevin Buell ’14, and Sy Butler ’16.
Head Coach Tom Carey was very pleased with the team’s efforts in all of its events.
“Each time a City High athlete got out on the track, we saw that aggressive and smart approach to competition – they got the rewards they deserved from the work they did,” Carey said.
City High’s sprint medley team took 21st place, and was run by Cory Lindsey, Alec James, Tom McDowell ’16, and Ali Omar ’16.
“I’m proud of them for trying their best,” Lindsey said of his teammates.
“It’s not set in stone,” Runge agreed, “Drake is an unscored meet, it’s mostly for fun.”
City will enter the state track meet on May 22nd, a meet that will last through the 24th. City’s runners and relay teams will continue to improve for the date.
“It [Drake] was a good motivator, it shows you where you’re at, you know Waukee is going to be coming back to try and beat us in state,” Butler finished, a sentiment shared by his fellow runners.
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