Lisbon boys track couldn’t quite shock the field, but finished in fifth place Saturday at the Class 1A boys track meet at Drake Stadium in Des Moines.
Riverside won with 51 points, followed by Van Buren (43), Iowa Valley (42), New London (38) and Lisbon (34).
“We can’t hang our heads at all with Top 5 finish,” Lisbon Coach Lonnie Speidel said. “We’re happy with that.”
There was big shocker in Des Moines, and it was senior Henry Reiling, who won the discus Friday with a throw of 172 feet, 9 inches.
Reiling was ranked No. 14 in the 24-man field, having qualified for state with a throw of 145 feet, 4 inches. His season-best was 154 feet, 5 inches.
“I told him last week just get out of your own way,” Speidel said. “He’s been doing that consistently in practice. It was a matter of putting it together.”
“My coach told everyone I was going to shock everyone at state,” Reiling said. “He instilled a lot of confidence in me.”
Reiling uncorked his winner on his sixth and final throw. His fifth throw of 167 feet, 1 inch would’ve won the event by … one inch. Instead, he won by almost six feet.
On his final throw, the big one, the audience clapped for Reiling, speeding up as he started his spin. He said that got his adrenaline flowing.
“The clapping helped,” Reiling said. “It also helped knowing no one was throwing after me, because I was first going into the finals. I knew I was already going to win, but it freed me up. It definitely feels good to win by more than one inch.”
All but one of his throws was over 160 feet.
“I practice a lot, and one was bound to pop at some point,” Reiling said. “They all clustered together in one day.”
Reiling was also seventh in the shot put with a throw of 49 feet, 4.25 inches.
His big weekend has him rethinking track in college. He is heading to Northern Iowa, and would listen if the Panthers are interested.
“I might if they want to,” Reiling said. “I’m not sure I want to, yet.”
The Lions had six other events finish as point-scoring placewinners, led by the 4×800 of Sawyer Feldman, Drayden Nunemaker, Brody Speidel, and Anthony Armstrong. They finished in a school-record time of 8 minutes and 4.61 seconds.
Riverside, who won the 1A team title, won this race in 8:02.17.
“We gave them a good battle,” Speidel said. “They’ve got four guys that can run 2-flat. We gave it all we could and broke our school record. You can’t ask for more than that.”
Feldman, a senior, finished fourth in the 1,600 in 4:26.10 and fourth in the 3,200 in 9:36.56.
Armstrong, a junior, finished fifth in the 800 in 1:56.01.
“For Sawyer not placing as a junior, to this, he had an outstanding meet,” Speidel said.
Lisbon boys track will have its work cut out to remain a contender in 2027. They graduate some talented athletes, and are right on the 1A/2A line.
“That would be a big challenge if that happens,” Speidel said. “We do return a good core of athletes. So we’ll see what we’ve got. Maybe we’ll make another run.”
Girls
The Lisbon girls had six girls compete at state, and five of them are returning next year.
“Mission accomplished for experience,” Lisbon girls coach Brett Epperly said. “I can’t wait to see what the future has in store. We are a very young team and we can accomplish a lot before they are all graduated.”
The foursome of sophomores Jordyn Jarchow, Quinn Roos, Paige Epperly and Brynnley Patterson ran in three relays, the sprint medley, 4×100 and 4×200. They place in the 4×200, finishing eight in 1:47.81.
“They are just happy as larks,” Coach Epperly said. “They got a placement. And they got to watch a state meet full of good competition. They were on cloud nine on the way home.”
In addition to the relays, senior Emersyn Reiter placed 15th in the high jump and freshman Kooper Martin was 23rd in the discus.
Class 1A boys
Team scores (top 10) – 1. Riverside 51; 2. Van Buren 43; 3. Iowa Valley 42.5; 4. New London 38; 5. Lisbon 34; 6. Lawton-Bronson 32; 7. Lake Mills 30; 8. Woodbine 29; 9. (tie) Bellevue 28 and Pekin 28.
Lisbon competitors
800 – 5. Anthony Armstrong 1:56.01.
1,600 – 4. Sawyer Feldman 4:26.10.
3,200 – 4. Sawyer Feldman 9:36.56.
Discus – 1. Henry Reiling 172-9.
High jump – Justin Snyder.
Shot put – 7. Henry Reiling 49-4.25.
Distance medley – 18. Chase McFarlane, Ethan Stone, Caleb Ross, Anthony Armstrong 3:45.79.
4×400 – 9. Ryder Meeks, Chase McFarlane, Caleb Ross, Anthony Armstrong 3:27.01.
4×800 – 2. Sawyer Feldman, Drayden Nunemaker, Brody Speidel, Anthony Armstrong 8:04.61.
Class 1A girls
Team scores (top 10) – 1. Edgewood-Colesburg 57; 2. Mount Ayr 49; 3. Council Bluffs St. Albert 45; 4. Pekin 44; 5. CAM 39; 6. Madrid 38; 7. Fremont-Mills 35; 8. Saint Angsgar 32; 9. Martensdale-St.Marys 30; 10. Maquoketa Valley 27. ALSO: 55. (tie) Lisbon 1.
Lisbon competitors
100 – 12. Brynnley Patterson 13.15.
Discus – 23. Kooper Martin 100-1.
High jump – 15. Emersyn Reiter 5-0.
Sprint medley – 15. Paige Epperly, Quinn Roos, Brynnley Patterson, Jordyn Jarchow 1:54.11.
4×100 – 13. Jordyn Jarchow, Quinn Roos, Paige Epperly, Brynnley Patterson 51.26.
4×200 – 8. Jordyn Jarchow, Quinn Roos, Paige Epperly, Brynnley Patterson 1:47.81.