For the first time in 20 years a Jefferson-based girls’ track and field team won a title at a State Qualifying Meet (formerly known as Districts). The Rams placed first in Atlantic at the Class 3A meet on Thursday night topping seven other teams from the Hawkeye 10 and Raccoon River Conferences. Coach Kelly Simpson’s Rams placed fourth in the Heart of Iowa Activities Conference and surprised a lot of people by scoring 135 points. The Glenwood Rams, winners of the Hawkeye 10, were second at 124 with Harlan at 120, Carroll 97, Winterset 76.5, Creston 74, Denison-Schleswig 69, and 43.5 for Atlantic.

At least nine Greene County girls’ events will be at the State Coed Meet at Drake Stadium  May 22-24. Greene County had four first place and five second place finishes and all first and second place finishers are automatic qualifiers for state in 3A. First place finishers were Allison Higgins in the 3,000 meter run in 11:11.97; shuttle hurdle relay in 1:07.81 with Eme Johnson, Nadia Fisher, Sarah Sandage, Kate Sandage; and Olivia Hansen in both the 200 and 400 meter dashes. She ran the 200 in 27.25 seconds and the 400 in 60.88 seconds.

Placing second for the Greene County girls were Fisher in the high jump (5′ 0″); Kate Sandage in the 100 meter hurdles (15.72), Johnson in the 400 meter hurdles (1:08.30); Higgins in the 1,500 meter run (5:12.34), and the sprint medley relay (1:56.04) with Kate Sandage, Emma Saddoris, Hansen, and Emily Christensen.

The Greene County boys will have at least six events at next week’s state meet and senior Roman Phillips will be in four of them. Phillips won the 100 meter dash (11.10) and 200 meter dash (22.53), and he anchored the 4 x 100 meter relay to a first place finish (44.88). Max Neese, JC Weitl, and Dylan Hamilton ran the first three legs of the 4 x 100. The 4 x 200 meter relay (1:33.10) was second with Neese, Weitl, TJ Lint, and Phillips. Alex Rasmussen qualified in both throwing events, winning the discus throw (155′ 3″) and placing second in the shot put (45′ 7-1/2″).

Glenwood, the Hawkeye 10 champion, won the boys’ title with 139 points with Carroll next at 114, followed by Harlan 113, Greene County 91, D-S 72, Creston 63, Winterset 57, and Atlantic 48.

The list of at-large qualifiers in Class 3A is expected to be released today.