BROOKLYN – You can’t complain about the effort of the Montezuma boys track team. Not when its members produce eight season’s-best times and distances, in a rain-splashed state qualifying meet on Thursday, May 11.
The essence: The Braves advanced one athlete to state. Junior Garrett Watts will compete in the 110-meter hurdles. He placed fourth in this meet, with a personal best of 16.11 seconds.
In order to qualify for the big meet, an athlete or relay team could win its event. That was an automatic ticket.
After that, they had to be a place winner in the qualifying meet, and have one of the best 14 times or distances in the state from that group.
Montezuma’s performance seemed to be spiked by its hurdlers and middle distance runners in this particular meet.
In terms of team score, the Braves were seventh out of 13 scoring teams. Lisbon bullied the field with 174 points, almost 60 ahead of second-place Lynnville-Sully.
Sometimes, the line between qualifying and not is pretty thin. In the 110 hurdles, Watts clocked 16.11 while teammate Damien Knox was right behind him, fifth in 16.46, also a personal best. Watts qualified; Knox did not.
Montezuma’s best finish was second, in the hurdle shuttle, with Broox Stockman, Luke Brennan, Knox and Watts running it.
The Braves picked up one third, in the 4×100, with David Rose, Broox Stockman, Carter Michalek and Kenny Criswell.
Knox got fourth place in the long jump with his best-ever, 19 feet, 6 inches. It was his first time beyond 19 feet.
The Braves also had a fourth in the 4×200, with Rose, Broox Stockman, Jack Erselius and Kenny Criswell turning in a season’s best time of 1:36.89.
The state meet is scheduled for Thursday through Saturday, May 18-20, at Drake Stadium in Des Moines.
Boys State Qualifier
Class 1A at Brooklyn
Team scoring – 1, Lisbon 174. 2, Lynnville-Sully 116.5. 3, BCLUW 113.5. 4, North Mahaska 63. 5, BGM 56. 6, Moravia 47. 7, Montezuma 46.5. 8, Seymour 33. 9, HLV 31. 10, GMG 23.5. 11, Melcher-Dallas 23. 12, Meskwaki 4, 13, Twin Cedars 2.
Montezuma places, efforts
100 – 6, Kenny Criswell 11.83. 7 David Rose 12.07.
200 – 10, Jack Erselius 25.01. 11, Carter Michalek 25.20.
400 – 13, Broox Stockman 1:00.05. 18, Lars Taylor 1:12.5 (B).
800 – 9, Luke Erselius 2:18.36 (B). 12, Kohen Holland 2:31.85 (B).
1,600 – 11, Jayden Ross 5:21.23 (B). 14, Colton Benson 5:25.97 (B).
3,200 – 8, Carter McKee 12:03.87. 12, Jusiah Wetering 13:56.02.
110 hurdles – 4, Garrett Watts 16.11 (B). 5, Damien Knox 16.46 (B).
400 hurdles – 11, Broox Stockman 1:05.35. 13, Luke Brennan 1:08.01 (B).
4×100 – 3, MHS 45.77 (David Rose, Broox Stockman, Carter Michalek, Kenny Criswell).
4×200 – 4, MHS 1:36.89 (B). (David Rose, Broox Stockman, Jack Erselius, Kenny Criswell).
4×400 – 9, MHS 4:13.61 (Jack Erselius, Kohen Holland, Luke Erselius, Colton Benson).
4×800 – 7, MHS 9:44.64 (B). (Luke Erselius, Colton Benson, Kohen Holland, Jayden Ross).
Sprint medley – 6, MHS 1:41.8 (B). (David Rose, Broox Stockman, Kenny Criswell, Carter Michalek).
Distance medley – 10, MHS 4:50.84. (Alex Black, Luke Brennan, Carter McKee, Jusiah Wetering).
4×110 hurdles – 2, MHS 1:05.70 (B). (Broox Stockman, Luke Brennan, Damien Knox, Garrett Watts).
High jump – no entry
Long jump – 4, Damien Knox 19-6 (B). 6, Garrett Watts 18-9.75.
Shot put – 21, Isaac Wedgewood 28-0.75. 22, Briar Simpson 28-05.
Discus – 19, Lucas Flaig 84-0. 20, Lars Taylor 80-8.5.