Rams combine to qualify in 20 events for state

Glenwood placed fourth as a team with 101 points, just four points out of second place.  

“This was a loaded state qualifying meet that we knew was going to be a challenge,” said Glenwood coach Mark Starner. “It seemed like everything that we were good at, there were two to three other teams that were better and ranked rather high in 3A.”   

Starner said the Rams qualifying for state in nine events and only two of those being automatic qualifiers, tells you how difficult of a meet it was.  

“Heading into the meet, we thought we could get as many 13-15 entries into the state meet,” Starner said.  “We missed some opportunities to qualify in some other events, mainly because if we could just repeat the performances of what we were able to do at the (Hawkeye 10) conference meet, we would have had added another five events to our nine events.  

“But it just wasn’t our day, but our kids gave it their best and that’s part of athletics, sometimes it just doesn’t work out the way you had hoped.”

The Rams highest qualifying event was the distance medley relay that ranks ninth heading into the state meet.  The quartet of Keaton German, Drew Schroeder, Haze Stephens and Bryce Kellar ran a season-best 3:39.28 to punch their ticket to state.

The Rams’ Lincoln Skarnulis (shot put), Victor Cruz (400) and Dylan Powles (400-meter hurdles) punched at-large tickets to state after the district meet. Powles ran his season best in the 400-meter hurdles but qualified for the 24th position in the event.

“I’m just excited for Dylan that he qualified, as each meet in the past four meets, he’s taken time off his performance,” Starner said. “He’s gunning for sub 57 in the event and we’re glad he gets one more opportunity.”

Skarnulis and Cruz have a chance to move into medal contention if they can improve on previous season best times, according to Starner.

“Victor has been pretty steady in 400 this season and ran particularly well their last year in the DMR in which the team placed fourth overall,” the coach said.

Glenwood’s sprint medley, shuttle hurdle, 4x100 and 4x400 relays all ran season-bests and advanced to the state meet.  

“But like the DMR, each of these relays will have to take some time off their qualifying performances to have a chance to make it into medal contention,” Starner said.  

The Glenwood girls had two first place finishers – in the distance medley and 4x800-meter relays – and placed second in four more to earned automatic bids to state while finish second in the team standings with 137 points.

The top two finishers at the state qualifying meets along with the next best eight performances from around the state receive state bids.

In all, the girls qualified for state in 11 events.

“They competed their hearts out,” said Glenwood girls coach Jordan Bueltel of his team. “We were able to qualify eight things automatically and then we got six more events in based on time.  Our goal all year is to keep improving and getting better and this meet exemplified that. We had 16 different performances that were season’s best times for us.  Just great efforts all around.”

The Rams distance medley relay team of Elaina Dougherty, Allison Koontz, Brooklyn Schultz and Breckyn Petersen topped the field on their own track, running a 4:15.23.

The 4x800-meter team of Madelyn Berglund, Haylee Hughes, Caitlin Hebel Petersen ran a 9:41.78 for first.

The Rams’ Megan Hughes (400-meter hurdles), Grace Berglund (800 and 3,000-meters), 4x400-meter and sprint medley relays all finishes as runners-up.

Hebel (400), Haylee Hughes (800), Grace Berglund (1,500), Breckyn Petersen (400-meter hurdles) along with the Rams’ shuttle hurdle, 4x200 and sprint medley relays.

Bueltel said his seniors were key in setting the tone at the state qualifier against a field that included defending state champion ADM.

“I think that can be intimidating for some teams, but our girls loved the chance to compete against some of the best in our state and really rose to the occasion,” Bueltel said.  “If we can build off of these performances for one more week it should be a really exciting weekend in Des Moines.”

Glenwood State Qualifiers
Girls
400m: Caitlin Hebel.
800m: Grace Berglund and Haylee Hughes.
1500m: Grace Berglund.
3000m: Grace Berglund.
400m hurdles: Megan Hughes and Breckyn Petersen.
Shuttle hurdle relay: Glenwood.
4x200m relay: Glenwood.
4x400m relay: Glenwood.
4x800m relay: Glenwood.
Sprint medley relay: Glenwood.
Distance medley relay: Glenwood.

Boys
400m: Victor Cruz.
400m hurdles: Dylan Powles.
Shotput: Lincoln Skarnulis.
4x100m relay: Glenwood.
4x400m relay: Glenwood.
4x800m relay: Glenwood.
Distance Medley Relay – Glenwood
Shuttle Hurdle relay: Glenwood.
Sprint medley relay: Glenwood.