Pella Christian’s Trevor Veenstra takes discus title on day two of state track

DES MOINES — Another picture perfect day with a record crowd of 16,045 at the Blue Oval at Drake Stadium saw another area boy grab himself at state championship while others collected medals and advanced to Saturday’s finals.

Pella Christian’s Trevor Veenstra bounced back in a big way after a tough day at the shot put on Thursday. The Eagle thrower had his first throw be his best as the junior launched it 180-05 to quickly gain the lead and hold on for the 2A title.

“It feels amazing,” Veenstra said of winning the title. “Especially after I didn’t perform the way I wanted yesterday, coming out today and doing my best felt great and just competing against some of the greatest throwers in Iowa, and to just know I’m a part of that, is awesome.”

Veenstra was able to grab a medal in the shot put yesterday with a seventh place finish. Like today, his first throw was his best but he struggled to find his form yesterday and scratched his final five attempts. Today, after another strong first throw, those thoughts creeped into his mind again.

“It was a struggle,” Veenstra said about reseting his mind today. “I was thinking I was going to maybe come in and do the same thing I did yesterday, but I’m glad I didn’t.”

Earlier in the year at the Drake Relays, Veenstra held the lead in the discus before the fifth round when he would be passed and finish second. He was hoping it wouldn’t be deja vu at state.

“I did the same thing at Drake,” Veenstra said. “I got passed up late at Drake so I was ready for someone to pass me up here. I was really nervous during Spencer’s last throw.”

Louisa-Muscatine’s Spencer Kessel nearly passed Veenstra with his final throw but it would measure under a foot short at 179-07 to give Veenstra the title and to finish off his state meet on top of the podium.

Over in the 3A race, the Pella boys extended their lead with an up and down day. They now sit at 44 points with North Polk, Mount Vernon and Western Dubuque all chasing behind with 25 points.

The Dutch helped their cause with a couple more medal finishes. The distance medley of Quinn Gruver, Cam Schulte, Trey Van Hauen and Chase Lauman came in as a contender for the title and would have a time to chase with Mount Vernon putting up a quick time of 3:31.83 to win the second of three heats. Pella would win the fast heat but Lauman would cross the line with a time of 3:32.68 to finish a close second and earn runner-up.

Another relay would score with the 4x200 of Gruver, Schulte, Bailey Shetterly and CJ Shetterly racing to a sixth place finish with a time of 1:29.77.

Hanson King put together a strong showing the shot put with a throw of 55-09.25 giving him third place while Brandon Fischer had a tough day in the circle and finished 17th with a throw of 46-10.5.

The Dutch also had a pair of relays just miss out on points with their 4x100 of Gruver, Schulte, Ethan Hol and CJ Shetterly finishing 11th with a time of 43.49 while the 4x400 of Cooper Lautenbach, Bailey Shetterly, Colin Kerndt and Van Hauen just missed out on the finals by taking ninth at 3:26.28.

The Lady Dutch had one medaling event on Friday with their 4x200 of Delanie Reynolds, Kelsey Tauke, Marissa Hackman and Kamryn Long racing to sixth with a time of 1:44.71. They also qualified their 4x400 relay for Saturday’s final with an impressive showing in the prelims that saw them take second with a time of 4:03.39.

Also in action was the distance medley of Reynolds, Hackman, Macy Schroeder and Abby Teagarden that finished 11th (4:17.88) and the 4x100 of Reynolds, Long, Hackman and Tauke that just missed out on the finals at 50.21. Kylie Tauke also finished 12th in the long jump at 16-02.5.

Oskaloosa had a couple of events going on Friday. On the girls side they would get a medal from Maleah Walker in her final event for the Osky track team as she took sixth in the long jump with a leap of 16-11. Walker also raced in the distance medley with Hannah Quang, Evelyn Adam and Tierney Carter as they ended up in 16h with a time of 4:22.82.

Quang later raced in the 100 hurdle prelims, finishing 12th at 15.83. Adam along with teammate Emmalee Wells-Stout both then battled in the 400 hurdles with Adam finishing 15th (1:10.86) and Wells-Stout taking home 22nd (1:12.95).

The quartet of Ryleigh Wilken, Huang, Adam and Carter ended the day in the 4x400 where they would take 20th at 4:13.72.

The Oskaloosa boys had a couple of individuals competing as Tatum Westercamp started in the sand pit with the long jump, finishing 16th (20-01) before having a very good showing in the 110 hurdle prelims where he grabbed fourth place with a time of 14.61 to advance to Saturday’s final and guarantee some points for the Indian boys. Fellow hurdler Waylon Bolibaugh also raced in the 400 hurdles as he crossed the line at 58.10 to take 13th.

Outside of Veenstra’s win in the discus, it was only a handful of other Pella Christian girls events that saw the Eagles in action on Friday.

Cara Veenstra started out hot in the high jump and was able to clear 4-10 and 5-0 on her first attempt before needing all three jumps to clear 5-2. She would clip the bar on all three of her attempts at 5-4 and would bring home a tie for seventh place.

The PC girls also had a pair of relays running as their 4x100 of Chloe Nikkel, Anna DeBoef, Amelia Boender and Meredith Van Wyk finished 14th at 51.67 and their 4x400 of Amaia Agre, Josie Settles, DeBoef and Bailey Vos would qualify for Saturday’s final after finishing fifth with a time of 4:06.34.

Action resumes on Saturday morning at 9 a.m. for the final day of the state track and field meet.

Friday area girls results

Girls (3A) distance medley finals: 11. Pella (Delanie Reynolds, Marissa Hackman, Macy Schroeder, Abby Teagarden, 4:17.88), 16. Oskaloosa (Hannah Quang, Maleah Walker, Evelyn Adam, Tierney Carter, 4:22.82)

Girls (3A) 100 hurdle prelims: 12. Hannah Quang (Oskaloosa, 15.83)

Girls (2A) high jump: T7. Cara Veenstra (Pella Christian, 5-02)

Girls (3A) long jump: 6. Maleah Walker (Oskaloosa, 16-11), 12. Kylie Tauke (Pella, 16-02.5)

Girls (3A) 4x200 finals: 6. Pella (Delanie Reynolds, Kelsey Tauke, Marissa Hackman, Kamryn Long, 1:44.71)

Girls (3A) 400 hurdles finals: 15. Evelyn Adam (Oskaloosa, 1:10.86), 22. Emmalee Wells-Stout (Oskaloosa, 1:12.95)

Girls (2A) 4x100 prelims: 14. Pella Christian (Chloe Nikkel, Anna DeBoef, Amelia Boender, Meredith Van Wyk, 51.67)

Girls (3A) 4x100 prelims: 9. Pella (Delanie Reynolds, Kamryn Long, Marissa Hackman, Kelsey Tauke, 50.21)

Girls (2A) 4x400 prelims: 5. Pella Christian (Amaia Agre, Josie Settles, Anna DeBoef, Bailey Vos, 4:06.34)

Girls (3A) 4x400 prelims: 2. Pella (Macy Schoreder, Abby Teagarden, Lizzie Neumann, Jacie Trine, 4:03.39), 20. Oskaloosa (Ryleigh Wilken, Hannah Quang, Evelyn Adam, Tierney Carter, 4:13.72)