Lions finish as runners-up at GHV

Don Hoeppel Relays

It came down to the bitter end.  Despite three relay wins and finishing as runner-up in another, the Clear Lake boys finished second to GHV at the Don Hoeppel Relays held at Garner Monday, May 4.  The Cards compiled 122 points to top the nine-team field.  Clear Lake finished with 105 and Forest City had 90 to round out the top three.

Sprinter Cooper Merrill and Chandler Diercks each recorded individual wins, with Merrill winning the 100 in 11.63 and Diercks laying claim to another long jump title with a meet record leap of 22’ 9”.   Both competitors, along with Zach Tatum and MaKean Bang were also part of the Lions’ winning 4x100 and 4x200 relays.  The 4x100 was clocked in 44.66, while the 4x200 team ran a 1:33.21.

The Distance Medley relay with Tatum, Diercks, Dustin King and Zach Lester placed second in 3:45.24.

The Lions’ shuttle hurdle team finished first with Parker Truesdell, Parker Crispin, Alex Vander Ploeg and Chase Bacon running a 1:00.75.  Crispin and Vander Ploeg also finished second and third respectively in the 110 hurdles in 16.03 and 17.04.  Vander Ploeg also took third in the high jump at 5’ 10”.  Truesdell was second in the 400 hurdles in 58.56.

Other events earning points for the Lions included:

•4x800: Lester, Cody Matz, Lucas Kirchoff, Karter Anderson, fourth, 9:00.28

•4x400: King, Dylon Crotty, Anderson, Tavian Coleman, fourth, 3:41.02

•3200: Grant Dieken, fifth, 11:34.76

•200: Bacon, sixth, 24.37

•400: King, fourth, 53.16

•200: Merrill, fourth, 23.73

Hackbarth relays

The Lions were at the Hackbarth Relays in Algona Tuesday, May 5, for their third meet in five days.  The Lions finished third in the seven-team field with 74 points.  Algona dominated with 221 points, followed by Bishop Garrigan with 87.

Cooper Merrill provided an individual win, capturing the long jump with a leap of 19’ 10.5”.  The Distance Medley team of Zach Tatum, Chase Bacon, Dustin King and Zach Lester also won in a time of 3:46.16.  Ace Walton, Ethan McHenry, Brock Adams and Alex Vander Ploeg also picked up a win in the 4x100 Weight Person Relays in 50.96.

King was also second in the 400 in a time of 53.21.  Vander Ploeg was runner-up in the high jump, clearing 5’ 10”.

The Lions’ shuttle hurdle team with Parker Truesdell, Parker Crispin, Vander Ploeg and Chase Bacon was second in 1:00.98.

Other Lion placewinners included:

•100: Merrill, fourth, 11.67

•200: Tavian Coleman, fourth, 23.89; Chase Bacon, fifth, 23.92

•110 hurdles: Parker Crispin, third, 16.07; Vander Ploeg, fifth, 16.39

•400 hurdles: Parker Truesdell, fifth, 59.62

•Long jump: Brock Adams, fifth, 18’ 8.25”

•4x200: Tatum, Merrill, MaKean Bang, Chamdler Diercks, third, 1:35.39

•4x400: King, Dylon Crotty, Tavian Coleman, Karter Anderson, sixth, 3:54.33

•4x800: Speed Toyne, Cody Matz, Lucas Kirchoff, Anderson, sixth, 9:11.68

Jim Ahrens Relays

Clear Lake was sitting atop the eight-team field when the Jim Ahrens Relays were halted for weather Friday night.  The Lions collected 76 points. They were followed by Forest City with 71.5 and West Fork with 70.5.

Parker Crispin finished in first place and Alex Vander Ploeg was third in the 110 hurdles.  Crispin’s winning time was