City High’s 4x800 jaw-dropper highlights day one of the state track and field meet

DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) - City High’s team of Ammon Smith, Ford Washburn, Ayman Noreldaim and Truman Thompson smashed a state record with a 7:37.66 4x800m run.

It was also the second best time record in the country this year.

“We have been thinking about that state record all year so to get it is truly amazing,” Smith said.

Washburn impressed in the 3200m, finishing in second place with a time of 9:13.16.

In the 1A girls 4x800, South Winneshiek finished well ahead of the competition at 9:41.43, over seven seconds ahead of second place. The team of Billie Wagner, Josie Tieskoetter, Megan Hageman and Maddy Jansen brought gold home to Calmar.

In the 1A girls long jump Sarah Burton of Riverside, who finished third last year, soard to a win this season with a leap of 17 feet, 8.25 inches.

In the 1A boys long jump future Hawkeye football player Cam Buffington from Winfield Mount Union took first with a 21 foot, eight inch bound.

Future Iowa State football player Keaton Roskop of Linn-Mar took second in the 4A boys discuss throw with a toss of 181 feet, five inches.

In the girls 1A 400m dash Kadence Huck of Nashua Plainfield cruised to a win in a blazing time of 55.94.

But nothing touched the 4A boys high jump competition, where Drake Stadium got on their feet for City High’s Matt Schaeckenbach and Linn-Mar’s TJ Jackson.

The two boys cleared 6-11, a feet no boy in Iowa has reached all year. Neither could clear seven feet, meaning Jackson won the event with fewer misses.

“It was very exciting I hadn’t cleared 6-11 yet this season and when I cleared I thought state championship,” Schaeckenbach said.

But Jackson, knowing he would win the event if he cleared 6-11, gave it his all.

“I knew I was going to get no way I was going to let him win,” Jackson said.

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