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
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.
