The Lisbon boys’ track team is heading to Des Moines with their eyes set on a third straight Class 1A state championship.
What they did at the State Qualifying Meet on Thursday, May 15, in Lisbon, shows they are on the right track.
“We qualified almost everything that we wanted to,” junior Chase McFarlane said. “It sets us up for success next weekend.”
The 2025 team is following the blueprint of past champions, putting together some fast relays that can score lots of points.
“We made the decision to go all-in on the relays,” Lisbon Coach Lonnie Speidel said. “They didn’t hesitate. They did what is best for the team and it paid off.”
The Lions head to Drake Stadium with the fastest foursome in the 4×100, 4×200 and sprint medley.
All three relays include senior Quinn Coleman, senior Dakota Clark and senior Tiernan Boots, but each has a different anchor — McFarlane in the 4×100, senior Daylin Schaefer in the 4×200, and senior Jackson Powers in the sprint medley.
“I know the guys, I trust them and they trust me,” Clark said. “We put it together and we can really do some amazing things.”
Last year at state, the Lions won the 4×100 and 4×200. Having the fastest sprint medley — which is a 100, 100, 200 and 400 — is
a new twist.
“We’ve always lacked the 400 guy the last few years,” Speidel said. “We have options now with Schaefer and Powers. We’re able to put some points up.”
That new middle- distance crew is making an impact. Lisbon is also heading to Drake Stadium ranked third in the 4×800,
fifth in the distance medley and sixth in the 4×400.
The flip side is to load up the relays, the Lions sacrificed a little bit in the individual events, including the open 200.
“It kind of shook out at the end of the year, we were all where we belonged,” McFarlane said. “It all worked out. Our mindset is for the team.” Not that there won’t be some individual gold to chase. Boots won the 100 and takes the top time to state. Coleman has the
third-fastest time in the 100.
Senior Gage Holub is ranked No. 2 in the 110 hurdles, only behind Lane Vokoun of Belle Plaine, who nipped him over the final dash at the SQM, 14.42 seconds to 14.45.
“I didn’t realize I was going to have that competition,” Holub said. “I didn’t look at any times or anything, and he kind of shocked me, kind of threw me off.
“But I’m glad it happened now, rather than at state, to get surprised at the end like that.”
Junior Sawyer Feldman qualified in the 3,200 and is ranked seventh. Also qualifying, but not ranked among the top eight, are sophomore Justin Snyder (high jump), Schaefer (long jump), sophomore Anthony Armstrong (800) and the shuttle hurdle relay.
How well it all works out on the blue oval is to be determined. But in the SQM, Lisbon won it with 179 points, far outpacing runner-up Bellevue (83) and third-place Belle Plaine (78) and Midland (78).
“It was nice having Belle Plaine and Bellevue here,” Speidel said. “In a lot of the events that we needed to be
pushed in, they pushed us. “It was an awesome night. I knew if we had a good meet we’d score a lot of points, but I didn’t think we’d score that many.”
And now the board is set for state to pursue a threepeat. “It is definitely cool to keep the tradition alive,” Clark said. “Just pick back up where we left off and do our best every time.”
“It is the standard that has been set at Lisbon the last couple years,” Holub said. “It is kind of the example we have to follow.”
Speidel knows anything can happen at state. One dropped baton can change fortunes real quick.
“You have to be on for three straight days,” Speidel said. “A lot of people don’t realize how hard that is. But I’m confident in this group. It is a great group of seniors with great leadership. I’m confident they are going to get it done.”