The North Fayette Valley boys’ track team is sending 17 athletes in nine different events to the State Track Meet this week in Des Moines. Representing the TigerHawks in Des Moines will be (front, l-r) seniors Cameron Amos, Nashua Lansing, Devon Monnahan, Austin DeMuth, David Jellings, Derrick Kuehner, and Jared Bouska; (back) Derik Lau, Tanner Kuhens, Trevor Hurd, Jesse Mackey, Josh Guenther, Danny Halva, Dylan Larson, Tylen Burrow, and Logan West. Not pictured: Ben Martin. (Jerry Wadian photo)
Boys win SQM by 2 points
By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com
It took a season-best time in the 4x400 for the North Fayette Valley boys’ track team to win the State Qualifying Meet Friday in Osage. The meet was originally scheduled for Thursday, but constant rain and low temperatures caused the state association to postpone the meet for a day.
After the field events, NFV head coach Mark Nuss said, “I was worried because South Winn had 48 points to our 12, and I thought that might be enough to carry them to the win.”
However, the TigerHawks has other ideas and came back to capture the big prize with a scintillating performance by fourth-seeded Ben Martin, Trevor Hurd, Tanner Kuhens, and Dylan Larson as they blistered the track with a 3:28.83 in the final event, the 4x400. Their time was good enough to beat New Hampton’s mark of 3:29.25. If the results had been reversed, the Chickasaws would have claimed the banner for winning the meet.
The TigerHawks won nine medals, including four gold. However, the story of the meet is the number of personal- and season-bests posted. In all, five different individuals (Logan West, Ben Martin, David Jellings, Devon Monnahan, and Trevor Weidemann) and all five relay teams set best times.