The spring season is almost at a close with the track teams heading into the state qualifiers, while golf has regional and sectional competitions coming up as well.
Boys Track
The Hawks head into Thursday’s state qualifier in Ogden with hopeful anticipation, potentially sending multiple athletes to the state meet again.
In 2024, Woodward was repped by Cael Leighton (400-meter dash) and Chandler Drake (400-meter hurdles). And both look primed to punch their ticket again, albeit slightly differently.
Unable to run due to a disqualifying issue last year, Leighton’s best odds at a ticket aren’t in the 400 dash this year, but in the long jump, where his new school record of 21-foot-4 ranks 11th in Class 2A this year — moving up 13 slots in the regular season finale.
Drake on the other hand has been rising in recent weeks in the 400 hurdles, most recently setting a PR of 57.04 seconds at the WCAC meet and ranks inside the top 20. His time of 57.12 seconds last year placed 16th.
And after making it to the state wrestling tournament a few months ago, Kane Mahler-Moreno looks to cap his high school athletics career with appearances in the shot put and discus. He’s ranked top 30 in both events as of writing. Setting new PR’s could punch his ticket.
Additionally, the middle school program took fifth place at Saturday’s state meet in Waukee. The team of Nolan Schultz, Jaxon Case, Ryker Bovy and Cameron Moats set a new state record with the shuttle hurdle relay team hitting 1:02 (likely a state qualifying mark at the high school level). On his own, Bovy was crowned state champ in the long jump with a distance of 18-foot-4 ¾.
Girls Track
Last season, the Hawks set a school record with six state qualifying bids. Even without Eva Fleshner (who was involved in two events) available this season due to a preseason injury, the Hawks are primed to test that record again.
The sprint medley team, headlined by Fleshner, made waves last year with a young group with a multi-year window, but now it’s the 4×100 relay team that looks to have a shot at making the cut.
Ranked 17th in Class 2A, the group of Jaidyn Achenbach, Kristyn Crouse, Andrea Nardini and Hayden Thomas set their top time of 51.11 seconds at last week’s WCAC meet. Thomas and Achenbach also appear ready for solo bids, also ranked 17th in the 100-meter dash and 100 hurdles, respectively. Thomas finished 16th last season at the state meet with a time of 13 seconds. She has brought that time down to 12.72 seconds — also set at the WCAC meet.
And in the field, Kiki Gregory looks to become the first W-G athlete in recent memory to make the cut in two solo events. She is ranked top 20 in both the discus and shot put, most recently setting her PR in the latter the previous week.
While she is ranked outside of the top 50 right now, Zoey Osmundson hopes to make another qualifying bid in the 800-meter run as well. She finished 23rd at last year’s meet with a time of 2:37.57, which is fractionally slower than her PR this season. With the right grouping and an improved time, anyone can make the cut.
Boys Golf
With the team placing fifth at the WCAC meet on May 6, Max Behrens was selected to the first-team all-conference after finishing fifth overall with a score of 77 (improving by 14 strokes from his last competition at Lake Panorama).
Four days later, the team placed first at their meet in Coon Rapids with a season-low of 308 on the day, led by Behrens, Landon Chambers and Andy David each with scores of 76.
Girls Golf
The Hawks won their fourth meet of the season, collecting a score of 213 in Ogden on May 9, led by Mallory Polito’s mark of 45 for second place on the day.
College Signings
Woodward had three commitments this past week with Lauren Rodgers, Max Dalton and Brady Seeman all signing their letters of intent.
Rodgers makes her way to Grand View University for the girls wrestling team after three state tournament appearances.
Coming off a career year in football, Dalton also signed with Grand View after leading the team in receiving yards the past two seasons and was a 2024 captain. And as a multi-year starter in the trenches, lineman Brady Seeman inked his name to Central College.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Hawks track teams ready for state spotlight, athletes sign with college programs
Reporting by Sean Cordy / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
