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The Drake Relays opened under savage spring weather Thursday, yet marquee high school races pressed on — and produced performances that matter for state standings and college recruiting. Between sudden hail, driving rain and a sharp temperature drop, several Iowa standouts still managed to secure titles and post marks that will echo through the rest of the season.
The 116th edition of the meet turned unpredictable early, forcing athletes and coaches to adapt on the fly as the high school program got underway at Drake Stadium. For spectators and scouts, the results offered a quick snapshot of who’s emerging ahead of conference and state championships.
Nauman finishes strong to take 3,200
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Quentin Nauman continued his dominance at the distance events, closing the 3,200 meters in 8:57.64 to lead a clear break from the pack. The Western Dubuque junior — who plans to run at Oregon — relied on a trademark late surge, covering the final 400 in about 54.9 seconds to separate himself.
He slipped back to third around the 2,000-meter mark but timed his move perfectly, overtaking Bettendorf’s AJ Willey and Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s Slader Buckheister in the final laps. Buckheister took second; Pella’s Canaan Dunham was third, Iowa City Liberty’s Keegan Decker fourth and Willey fifth.
Charlee Gall claims 3,000 title
Charlee Gall of Cedar Falls strengthened her hold on Iowa distance running with a decisive win in the girls’ 3,000, stopping the clock at 9:34.75. The sophomore shaved roughly 10 seconds off her winning time from last year.
Gall moved up steadily — she was fifth at about 1,400 meters — and surged into the lead with under two laps to go. Mount Vernon’s Evelyn Moeller finished second; Pekin’s Chloe Glosser third, Waukee Northwest’s Emmy Stubbendeck fourth and Pleasant Valley’s Maddie Millage fifth.
Ajak Malual soars to the high jump crown
Waukee sophomore Ajak Malual emerged as the meet’s top high jumper, clearing 7-0 after getting over earlier heights with little trouble. He was the lone competitor to clear that bar and claimed gold.
Benton Community’s Eli Patterson placed second, Western Dubuque’s Oscar Duve was third, while Fairfield’s Eli Zillman and Norwalk’s Logan Atherton tied for fourth.
Field events: Mecklenburg and Hill take top honors
In the long jump, Linn-Mar’s Abby Mecklenburg posted a best of 20-5.5 on her second attempt to win by nearly two feet. Mecklenburg — who became the first Iowa girl to surpass 20 feet last year with a 20-8.5 leap — has committed to Iowa State.
On the girls’ shot-put circle, Burlington’s Kylee Hill fouled on her opening attempt but rebounded with a 47-2 on her next throw and improved to 47-9.75 on her fifth to secure the title. Ottumwa’s Delilah Subsin finished third; Rachel Haack of Iowa City High, Pekin’s Anna Hadley and Urbandale’s Tatum Johnson rounded out the top five.
- 3,200 (Boys) — Quentin Nauman (Western Dubuque): 8:57.64
- 3,000 (Girls) — Charlee Gall (Cedar Falls): 9:34.75
- High Jump (Boys) — Ajak Malual (Waukee): 7-0
- Long Jump (Girls) — Abby Mecklenburg (Linn-Mar): 20-5.5
- Shot Put (Girls) — Kylee Hill (Burlington): 47-9.75
Despite the weather interruptions, Thursday’s sessions delivered performances that will influence team scoring and individual momentum as the season continues. Coaches noted both the resilience of athletes and the challenge of executing in rapidly changing conditions.
Competition at the Drake Relays runs through Saturday, offering more opportunities for athletes to stake their claims before postseason play begins.
