The Mount Vernon track and field teams each captured fifth place as a team at last week’s state track tournament in Des Moines. Both the boys and the girls teams faced competition from more than 40 other teams.
The boys captured three state championships in their effort. Zach Fall took first place in the 400 meter dash with a time of 48.53 for a first place finish and personal record.
Additionally, the 4×400 and distance medley teams each finished state champs. Both teams were comprised of Caden Stimmel, Zach Fall, Brady Erickson, and Jensen Meeker, in slightly different orders.
There were no first-place finishes for the girls, but there were a number of standout performances throughout, as they placed as highly as second or third in various competitions.
“I just wanted to give a huge shout-out to our seniors,” remarked head coach Kory Swart following the meet.
“Emma Meester, Laura Swart, Kameron Brand, Isabel Hawker, Kyla Vaughn, and Lilly See have done an excellent job leading the program, and we’ll miss them dearly.
“The standard that they have set will help us immensely moving forward. WaMaC Runner-Up, State Qualifying Meet Champions, fifth in the State, and a lot of PR’s and great memories along the way.
“It’s been a special season, and one that I’ll remember forever,” Swart said.
Boys 3A Team Scores
1 Pella 73, 2 Epworth, WD 63, 3 Harlan 55, 4 North Polk 47, 5 Mount Vernon 40, 6 Central DeWitt 35, 7 Lewis Central 31, 8 Xavier, CR 27, 9 Solon 25, 9 W. Burlington 25
Boys 400m (3A) – 1 Zach Fall 48.53 PR, 4 Jensen Meeker 49.06 PR; Boys 3200m (3A) – 23 Grady Olberding 10:27.35; Boys Discus Throw (3A) – 9 Brad Vislisel 156-05; Boys 800 Meter Sprint Medley 3A – 4 Colin Bentley, Tyler Panos, Caden Stimmel, Jensen Meeker 1:33.78; Boys 4×200 Meter Relay 3A – 17 Caden Stimmel, Brady Erickson, Colin Bentley, Cyrus Zangerle 1:32.24; Boys 4×400 Meter Relay 3A – Preliminaries – Caden Stimmel, Zach Fall, Brady Erickson, Jensen Meeker 3:21.41q; Boys 4×400 Meter Relay 3A – 1 Caden Stimmel, Zach Fall, Brady Erickson, Jensen Meeker 3:18.47 SB; Boys 4×800 Meter Relay 3A – 13 Grady Olberding, Dawson Scheil, Ryne Moeller, Zach Fall 8:21.32; Boys Distance Medley 3A – 1 Caden Stimmel, Brady Erickson, Jensen Meeker, Zach Fall 3:31.83.
Girls 3A Team Scores
1 Solon 79, 2 ADM 62, 3 Pella 42, 4 Wahlert, Dub 41, 5 Mount Vernon 34, 5 DSM, Hoover 34, 7 Clear Lake 31, 8 Carroll 27, 9 Ballard 26, 10 Atlantic 25
Girls 200m (3A) – Prelims – 8 Cali Whitaker 26.14q; Girls 200m (3A) – 6 Cali Whitaker 25.97; Girls 400m (3A) – 12 Emma Meester 1:00.50 PR; Girls 400m Hurdles (3A) – 9 Laura Swart 1:09.24, 17 Kiersten Swart 1:11.15; Girls 800m (3A) – 6 Laura Swart 2:17.80 PR; Girls 1500m (3A) – 13 Claire Jensen 5:04.17 PR; Girls 3000m (3A) – 13 Claire Jensen 11:17.38 PR; Girls Discus Throw (3A) – 3 Libby Dix 132-09; Girls Long Jump (3A) – 15 Elsa Appleton 15-11.25; Girls Shot Put (3A) – 9 Kyla Vaughn 36-11.25; Girls 800 Meter Sprint Medley 3A – 7 Kara Swantz, Addison Gookin, Kate Dougherty, Cali Whitaker 1:49.82; Girls 4×200 Meter Relay 3A – 19 Josie Niehaus, Lilly See, Kara Swantz, Kate Dougherty 1:48.50; Girls 4×400 Meter Relay 3A – Preliminaries – 4 Kate Dougherty, Kara Swantz, Emma Meester, Cali Whitaker 4:04.30q SB; Girls 4×400 Meter Relay 3A – 2 Kate Dougherty, Kara Swantz, Emma Meester, Cali Whitaker 4:01.22 SB; Girls 4×800 Meter Relay 3A – 3 Kameron Brand, Kiersten Swart, Sam Schoff, Laura Swart 9:40.95 SB; Girls Distance Medley 3A – 3 Kara Swantz, Kate Dougherty, Emma Meester, Laura Swart 4:10.35.
MV Track agate Boys 3A Team Scores 1 Pella 73, 2 Epworth, WD 63, 3 Harlan 55, 4 North Polk 47, 5 Mount Vernon 40, 6 Central DeWitt 35, 7 Lewis Central 31, 8 Xavier, CR 27, 9 Solon 25, 9 W. Burlington 25 Boys 400m (3A) – 1 Zach Fall 48.53 PR, 4 Jensen Meeker 49.06 PR; Boys 3200m (3A) – 23 Grady Olberding 10:27.35; Boys Discus Throw (3A) – 9 Brad Vislisel 156-05; Boys 800 Meter Sprint Medley 3A – 4 Colin Bentley, Tyler Panos, Caden Stimmel, Jensen Meeker 1:33.78; Boys 4×200 Meter Relay 3A – 17 Caden Stimmel, Brady Erickson, Colin Bentley, Cyrus Zangerle 1:32.24; Boys 4×400 Meter Relay 3A — Preliminaries – Caden Stimmel, Zach Fall, Brady Erickson, Jensen Meeker 3:21.41q; Boys 4×400 Meter Relay 3A – 1 Caden Stimmel, Zach Fall, Brady Erickson, Jensen Meeker 3:18.47 SB; Boys 4×800 Meter Relay 3A — 13 Grady Olberding, Dawson Scheil, Ryne Moeller, Zach Fall 8:21.32; Boys Distance Medley 3A – 1 Caden Stimmel, Brady Erickson, Jensen Meeker, Zach Fall 3:31.83. Girls 3A Team Scores 1 Solon 79, 2 ADM 62, 3 Pella 42, 4 Wahlert, Dub 41, 5 Mount Vernon 34, 5 DSM, Hoover 34, 7 Clear Lake 31, 8 Carroll 27, 9 Ballard 26, 10 Atlantic 25 Girls 200m (3A) — Prelims – 8 Cali Whitaker 26.14q; Girls 200m (3A) – 6 Cali Whitaker 25.97; Girls 400m (3A) – 12 Emma Meester 1:00.50 PR; Girls 400m Hurdles (3A) – 9 Laura Swart 1:09.24, 17 Kiersten Swart 1:11.15; Girls 800m (3A) – 6 Laura Swart 2:17.80 PR; Girls 1500m (3A) — 13 Claire Jensen 5:04.17 PR; Girls 3000m (3A) – 13 Claire Jensen 11:17.38 PR; Girls Discus Throw (3A) – 3 Libby Dix 132-09; Girls Long Jump (3A) – 15 Elsa Appleton 15-11.25; Girls Shot Put (3A) — 9 Kyla Vaughn 36-11.25; Girls 800 Meter Sprint Medley 3A – 7 Kara Swantz, Addison Gookin, Kate Dougherty, Cali Whitaker 1:49.82; Girls 4×200 Meter Relay 3A – 19 Josie Niehaus, Lilly See, Kara Swantz, Kate Dougherty 1:48.50; Girls 4×400 Meter Relay 3A — Preliminaries – 4 Kate Dougherty, Kara Swantz, Emma Meester, Cali Whitaker 4:04.30q SB; Girls 4×400 Meter Relay 3A – 2 Kate Dougherty, Kara Swantz, Emma Meester, Cali Whitaker 4:01.22 SB; Girls 4×800 Meter Relay 3A – 3 Kameron Brand, Kiersten Swart, Sam Schoff, Laura Swart 9:40.95 SB; Girls Distance Medley 3A – 3 Kara Swantz, Kate Dougherty, Emma Meester, Laura Swart 4:10.35.

Gallery • 12 Photos

--Courtesy photo Jennifer Tischer

Laura Swart races in her leg of a preliminary at the state track meet Thursday.