DAVENPORT — Three first place finishes and seven second-place showings led Solon’s varsity track and field boys to second place in Davenport North’s 2023 Jesse Day Relays Thursday, April 13.
North Scott won with 133 team points followed by the Spartans (115), Bettendorf (107), Central DeWitt (71), Davenport North and Assumption Catholic (53), Muscatine (51), Davenport West (49), Davenport Central (40), Clinton (39), and Burlington (30).
Blake Timmons won the 200-meter dash in a personal record (PR) time of 22.49, Michael Yeomans won the 800-meter run in 1:59.85, and Oaken Foster took gold in the high jump at 6’-5, a PR for him. Timmons was second in the 100 dash (11.46), Jeremy Bachus put up a 50.71 time in the 400 dash for second place, Brick Kabela had a pair of second place finishes in the 1,600 and 3,200 run (4:36.70 and 10:21.10). Kabela’s 1,600 finish was also a PR. Caleb Bock leaped 20’-9 for second in the long jump.
Yeomans, Maddox Shipley, Wyatt Applegarth, and Grant Bumsted put up a PR time of 8:39.15 in the 4×800 relay for second place while Rhett Mesch, Bachus, Bumsted, and Grant Knipper set a new Solon school record with their second place 4×400 finish in 3:26.74.
The shuttle hurdle relay took third in 1:06.51, Keenan Kruse was fourth in the 400-meter low hurdles in 58.87, the 4×100 was fourth in 44.15, and the 4×200 was fourth in 1:30.81.
Seventh place finishes went to the 800-meter sprint medley relay (1:42.69), Mason Scott in the discus (117-03), and Carter Grimm in shot put (42-06.50). Charlie Brandt (400 hurdles, 1:01.51) and Kaleb Behrends (shot, 42-03.50) were eighth, Nash Kotar was ninth in the 100-meter high hurdles (16.57), and Spencer Michels (1,600 run, 5:00.49) and Jordan Schmidt (long jump, 18-01.50) had tenth-place finishes. Full results can be found online at https://ia.milesplit.com/meets/537438-jesse-day-relays-2023/results#.ZDySebrMJD8.
“We were very happy with the response of our team,” said Coach Mark Sovers. “Not everything will go your way throughout a meet. We were looking to take the next step towards excellence and what that means. Our response as a team to content with difficulty throughout the meet was very good and made a difference. We are ready to compete each and every meet no matter who we are competing against and achieve the excellence we are looking for in our performance. This meet was the next step in competing to be the Best Version of who we are.”
The Spartans also competed in Monticello’s JV Co-Ed Relays with Einar Stecher and Will Brandt winning the 100 dash and 800 run. Kyler Jensen, Stecher, Eddie Johnson, and Cole Carney won the 4×100 relay, and Johnson, Carney, Conlan Poynton, and Jensen won the 4×200. Carney won the long jump while Eli Kampman took first in discus. Brady White, Gavin Wisman, Carson O’Haver, and Spencer Michels were second in the distance medley relay.
“We were proud of the way we went out and competed together,” said Sovers. “(It) provided some very important opportunities for athletes to go out and continue to improve and invest in their own development. (The) goal was to continue to provide opportunities and make the most out of the opportunities in front of you. As coaches we were pleased and felt like they made the most out of their opportunities throughout the meet. We are excited for what is ahead.”
Speaking of what lies ahead, the list of official Drake Relays qualifiers will be released Friday, April 21.
“(An) exciting week ahead (the Denny Gruber relays was held Tuesday) and a great week to be a Spartan!” Sovers said.
Upcoming schedule
Thursday, April 20 – AT Iowa City, City High Forwald Co-Ed Relays. 3:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 20 – AT Davenport Assumption. 4:00 p.m.
Monday, April 24 – AT Center Point-Urbana HS. 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 27 – AT Clear Creek Amana HS (Pacha Relays). 4:45 p.m.
Thursday, April 27 – Saturday, April 29 – Drake Relays

Gallery • 3 Photos

Contributed Photo

Rhett Mesch takes the handoff from Milo Ashbacker (not pictured) during the Iowa Valley meet.