Kennedy Girls Track

Jeff girls defend crown in 4x200 relay

DES MOINES - The Cedar Rapids Jefferson girls were disappointed in themselves when they finished second in the 4x200 relay at the Drake Relays last month.

They got mad, and Friday they returned to Drake Stadium and got the gold.

Abbie Ranschau, Jasmine Blue, Morgan Meese and Lucy Schneekloth sped to victory in their favorite event in 1 minute, 41.12 seconds for a convincing victory over Dowling Catholic.

Blue and Schneekloth helped the J-Hawks set the all-time state mark in 4x200 relay at the Class 4A state meet last year in 1:40.94. Meese and Schneekloth joined the quartet this year and they produced the third-fastest time ever, just 18-hundredths of a second behind last year's group.

Ranschau, Blue, Meese and Schneekloth are all underclassmen. They plan to be back in 2015 and take another shot at the all-time mark.

"We all want it," said Blue. "We'll get it next year."

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Jenks snaps own state mark in 3000

DES MOINES - Linn-Mar sophomore Stephanie Jenks gets a big kick out of breaking records.

The bigger, the better.

Jenks struck again Thursday morning, snapping her own state record in the 3000 meter run by more than two seconds at the Class 4A state track meet in Des Moines.

Jenks was clocked in 9 minutes, 24.67 seconds as she ran away with the race and won by more than 31 seconds, similar to her dominating performance at the Drake Relays last month.

Jenks broke her own all-time state mark of 9:26.87 and topped the meet record of 9:27.25 set by Katie Flood of Dowling Catholic in 2010.

Her next target could be the all-time national record in the 3000 of 9:08.6.

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Kennedy boys share track title

DUBUQUE - The Kennedy Cougars tied Iowa City West for first place at the Class 4A boys state track qualifier in Dubuque Thursday.

The Cougars and Trojans both finished with 107 points in the incredibly tight standings. Prairie placed third with 105.5 points and Dubuque Senior was fourth at 104.

Derek Jacobus (long jump), Willie Rhoads (high jump) and Marcus Perkins (400 hurdles) won titles for Kennedy. The Cougars also claimed the shuttle hurdle relay in a swift 57.42 seconds and won the 4x200 relay.

Tysen VanDraska captured the 800 meter run for Prairie. The Washington Warriors won the 4x100 relay.

The Washington girls won three events at the coed meet. Amarri Waller claimed the 100 meter dash. The Warriors also won the distance medley and 4x100 relay.

Kenzie Soeken of Prairie won the high jump.

Boys Team Standings

1. (tie) Kennedy 107, Iowa City West 107, 3. Prairie 105.5, 4. Dubuque Senior 104, 5. Clinton 81, 6. Hempstead 67.5, 7. Washington 67, 8. Iowa City High 62.

Girls Team Standings

1. Iowa City West 148, 2. Iowa City High 147, 3. Kennedy 91, 4. Prairie 89, 5. Hempstead 77, 6. Dubuque Senior 71, 7. Washington 68, 8. Clinton 48.

Jeff girls win 6 events at MVC meet

WATERLOO - The Jefferson girls track team captured six events at the MVC Mississippi Division meet in Waterloo Thursday.

Jasmine Blue blazed to victory in the 100 meter dash (12.87) and Madison Ranschau claimed the 100 hurdles (15.87).

The J-Hawks won the shuttle hurdle relay with Abbie Ranschau, Sam Kitterman, Ellie Trosky and Madison Ranschau clocked in 1:06.09. Abbie Ranschau, Blue, Morgan Meese and Lucy Schneekloth took the 4x200 relay in 1:44.92.

Madison Ranschau, Schneekloth, Abbie Ranschau and Blue captured the sprint medley in 1:52.14. Schneekloth, Abbie Ranschau, Meese and Blue won the 4x100 relay in 49.43 seconds.

Alyssa Averhoff of Kennedy won the 3000 meter run in 10:57.31.

Iowa City High won the meet with 166 points. Jefferson finished third (89) and Kennedy was fourth (69).