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2023 State Track: Competing Iowa Commits and Recruits

2024 Iowa signee Derek Weisskopf from Williamsburg will participate in three events at the 2023 Iowa High School State Track Meet this weekend.
2024 Iowa signee Derek Weisskopf from Williamsburg will participate in three events at the 2023 Iowa High School State Track Meet this weekend. (Bryon Houlgrave/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK)

Just over two weeks ago, a variety of Iowa football commits and recruits competed among some of the best track athletes in the state at the Drake Relays in Des Moines.

A few will return and others will compete on the blue oval for the first time in 2023, with the IHSAA and IGHSAU holding the state track and field meet between May 18-20. Here's a breakdown of each athlete's participation by class including their seed time, height or distance.

4A

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4x100

Elijah Porter, Ankeny Centennial - 16th, 43.29 seconds

Jalyn Thompson, Dowling Catholic, 15th, 43.23

4x200

Cade Courbat, Cedar Falls - 13th, 1:29.63

Porter, Centennial - 17th, 1:30.54

Sprint Medley

Porter, Centennial - 16th, 1:34.50

Discus

Jake Peters, Cedar Falls - 12th, 151-01 feet

Shot Put*

*Some seedings and throws were unavailable at publication.

Cael Winter, Waukee Northwest - 55-01.50

Maddux Borcherding-Johnson - 53-6

Joey VanWetzinga, Pleasant Valley -

Peters, Cedar Falls -

Notes

There's not a ton of talent in the 4A track pool with ties to the Iowa football program. 2023 signee Borcherding-Johnson is the only athlete that has received a scholarship, though Peters is a name to watch in the future.

Courbat, also of Cedar Falls, is the only athlete at the state track meet that is being recruited by the Hawkeye basketball program.

3A

100

Alex Mota, Marion - 2nd, 10.88

Cade Sears, Harlan - 18th, 11.19

Aidan McDermott, Cedar Rapids Xavier - 21st, 11.29

200

Mota, Marion - 3rd, 22.10

Sears, Harlan - 17th, 22.73

4x100

Sears, Harlan - 8th, 43.09

Jaxon Cherry, Webster City - 9th, 43.09

Jack Laughlin, Carlisle - 10th, 43.25

Mota, Marion - 17th, 44.02

Alex Manske, Algona - 22nd, 44.28

4x200

Aidan Hall / Sears, Harlan - 2nd, 1:28.83

Manske, Algona - 22nd, 1:32.84

Laughlin, Carlisle - 23rd, 1:33.28

Distance Medley

Manske, Algona - 18th, 3:41.13

Sprint Medley

Laughlin, Carlisle - 3rd, 1:33.51

Manske, Algona - 12th, 1:35.57

Mota, Marion - 17th, 1:36.35

Hall, Harlan - 18th, 1:36.57

High Jump

Reed Pfaltzgraff, Bondurant-Farrar - 22nd, 5'10"

Discus

Cherry, Webster City - 3rd, 168-08

Shot Put

Cherry, Webster City - 7th, 52-04

Notes

Mota, a Hawkeye signee at receiver, is the returning state champion in the 100-meter dash, running 10.71 seconds to edge out Iowa commit Brevin Doll who ran 10.74 last season. Mota will also compete for the 200 title, of which Doll took in 2022. Doll was unable to run at the state qualifying meets this spring due to injury.

The relays from Harlan will be among the favorites in the 4x100 and 4x200, with Sears and possibly Hall participating in both. Hall has also had his participation hampered by a minor hamstring issue this track season, and he is listed as an alternate for the 4x100.

Webster City athlete Cherry will have a chance to bring home three medals: in the 4x100, shot put and discus.

2A


100

Jaden Damiano, Iowa Falls - 7th, 11.27

Nolan Delong, Durant - 21st, 11.39

DJ Vonnahme, Carrol Kuemper - 24th, 11.51

200

Vonnahme, Kuemper - 16th, 22.95

110HH

Damiano, Iowa Falls - 1st, 14.43

Reece Vander Zee, Central Lyon - 23rd, 16.29

400h

Damiano, Iowa Falls - 2nd, 54.75

4x100

Vander Zee/Zach Lutmer/Graham Eben, Central Lyon - 3rd, 43.44

4x200

Delong, Durant - 3rd, 1:31.27

Vander Zee/Lutmer/Eben, CL - 23rd, 1:32.99

4x400

Delong, Durant - 3rd, 3:25.01

Damiano, Iowa Falls - 11th, 3:28.86

Sprint Medley

Delong, Durant - 21st, 1:36.37

Shuttle Hurdle

Vander Zee/Eben, CL - 1st, 1:00.80

High Jump

Derek Weisskopf, Williamsburg - 1, 6'6"

Discus

Weisskopf, Williamsburg - 6th, 155-10

Shot Put

Weisskopf, Williamsburg - 4th, 54-08

Notes

Damiano is the returning state champion in both the 110-meter high hurdles and the 400 meter hurdles. He's an athlete that has received interest from the Iowa football and track programs.

Central Lyon continues its domination in sports this season following their state championship wins in basketball and football, sending a mixture of recruits Vander Zee and Eben as well as 2023 signee Lutmer to the state track meet in several events.

2024 linebacker commit Weisskopf has an opportunity to set himself apart as one of the best athletes in the state, returning as 2A's state high jump champion while also being in the mix to compete for a medal in shot put and discuss.

1A


100m

Cam Buffington, Winfield-Mt. Union - 8th, 11.27

200m

Louden Grimsley, Lawton-Bronson - 21st, 23.42

4x100

Grimsley, LB - 1st, 42.98

Buffington, WMU - 13th, 45.06

4x200

Grimsley, LB - 1st, 1:29.94

Sprint Medley

Grimsley, LB - 1st, 1:32.59

Buffington, WMU - 15th, 1:37.19

Long Jump

Buffington, WMU - 1st, 21-07.50

Shot Put

Grant Brix, Logan-Magnolia - 14th, 48-05

Notes

2023 signee Buffington returns to the blue oval looking to take the state championship long jump after placing nineth in the event in 2022. He'll also have the chance to medal in the 100, 4x100 and sprint medley.

Brix returns to the state meet for the second year in a row after placing 11th in the event in 2022.

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