Benton Community High School girls track and field and boys and girls cross country head coach Marty Thomae has been named the Wartburg College athletic department’s 2009 Alumni Coach of the Year.
Thomae has guided the Bobcats to seven top three finishes at the girls state track and field meet including state championships in 1997, 2007 and 2008 and three state cross country championships in girls competition (1998, 1999 and 2000). His girls’ track teams have claimed seven WaMac conference titles, while his girls cross country teams’ have done so 12 …

Here is the first team:

DES MOINES — It was impossible to stay cool.
But when the typical early-race energy rush captivated many of her competitors, Moran Lonning did remain calm and collected.
Lonning worked her way through the field, then won the girls’ Class 3A 3,000-meter run convincingly at the state track meet Thursday at Drake Stadium.
The sophomore from Decorah was clocked in 10:40.93, nearly 12 seconds ahead of the pack.
“Everyone starts out sprinting, but you know, there were still seven laps left,” Lonning said.
It helped that a familiar face was toward the back of the …

DES MOINES — How did that feel? Euphoric? Not exactly.
“Painful,” said Jessica Yagla.
No pain, no gain.
Yagla anchored Iowa City High to a come-from-behind victory in the girls’ Class 4A 3,200-meter relay at the state track meet Thursday at Drake Stadium. It helped vault the Little Hawks into the 4A lead after Day 1.
“My legs turned numb, but I worked as hard as I could,” Yagla said. “I kept my eye on (Valley anchor Emily Klemme). I didn’t even hear the crowd. I just kept going.”
The Little Hawks, who were led …

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DES MOINES –
Here are today’s finals:
Shot put – 2 p.m.
3,000 – 3:20 p.m.
Long jump – 4:30 p.m.
3,200 relay – 4:50 p.m.
400 – 7 p.m.

Source: Jeff Linder – Blog

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DES MOINES — Sara Stoakes chose her state itinerary based on level of enjoyment.
She dominated the sprints in the past. She needed a new challenge.
“I wanted to do the races that would be most challenging,” said Stoakes, a senior at North Tama. “A challenge is fun. That’s what it takes to be good. You have to enjoy a challenge.”
Stoakes enjoyed the Class 1A 400-meter dash Thursday, setting a small-school state-meet record (56.08 seconds) in the process.
 
The Kansas State University recruit was in control throughout, winning by more than 2 …

Saturday
 
CLASS 4A DISTRICT
At Iowa City
Teams — 1. Iowa City West, 208, 2. Iowa City High 200, 3. C.R. Washington 92, 4. Linn-Mar 67, 5. Burlington 49, 6. Ottumwa 41, 7. C.R. Prairie 39, 8. C.R. Jefferson 38.
Shot put — 1. Micaela Haight (ICW), 42-3 1/2; 2. Majesty Tutson (ICW), 40-6; 3. Courtney Fritz (ICW), 38-6 1/2; 4. Tara Gott (O), 37-5; Long jump — 1. Jessica Gehrke (ICW), 17-1 1/4 ; 2. Sarah Ryan (O), 16-6 1/2; 3. Brittany Nelson (ICH), 15-8; 4. Shelby Crist (CRP), 15-3 1/4; High jump …

IOWA CITY — Alonzo Markham and Kevin Dibbern have competed against each other for six years.
The latest installment produced a photo-finish in the 400 meters and a more defined result in the 200 Saturday in a Class 4A district meet at Iowa City West. Iowa City High’s Dibbern edged Markham in the 400 by .012 seconds, but Iowa City West’s Markham beat Dibbern in the 200.
It took at least two minutes to confirm a winner in the 400. At the finish line, reporters asked them who’d won the race. Dibbern …

CLASS 4A DISTRICT
AT WATERLOO
Teams — 1. Cedar Falls 158, 2. C.R. Xavier 134, 3. Dubuque Senior 107, 4. C.R. Kennedy 105, 5. Dubuque Hempstead 99, 6. Waterloo West 60, 7. Mason City 50, 8. Waterloo East 15.
 Shot put — 1. Jadyn Spencer (WW), 36-7, 2. Brittany Demmer (DH), 35-6, 3. Carrie Panther 33-9, 4. Stephanie Hanson (MC), 31-10; Discus — 1. Merecedes Larsen (CF), 107-4; 2. Demmer (DH), 104-10; 3. Panther (CF), 103-9, 4. Emily Schoenberger (DS), 103-4; High jump — 1. Kristen Huebsch (CRK), 5-2; 2. Molly Gunn (CRX), …

CVC CONFERENCE MEET
At Tipton
Teams — 1. West Branch 146 1/2, 2. Iowa City Regina 141, 3. North Cedar 102, 4. Wilton 85 1/2, 5. Tipton 77, 6. Mid-Prairie 62, 7. West Liberty 58, 8. Durant 49.
 Shot put — Kristen Gaffey (ICR), 37-7; Discus — Taylor Feldman (WL), 119-1; High jump — Natalie Massey (NC), 5-2; Long jump — Chelsey Robertson (WB), 15-10.
3,000 — Nicole Kleinmeyer (ICR), 10:55.68; 3,200 relay — Tipton, 10:07.42; Shuttle hurdle relay — West Branch, 1:13.16; 100 — Molly Pilcher (NC), 12.24; Distance medley relay — North …