To say the Greene County track and field teams may have surprised some people last Thursday in Atlantic at a Class 3A State Qualifying Meet may be an understatement. The Rams won the girls’ portion of the meet and the boys were fourth. Greene County has qualified 12 events on the girls’ side and seven on the boys for the State Coed Meet May 22-23-24 at Drake Stadium in Des Moines. Part of the pleasant surprise was the way that the Rams bounced back after the Greene County girls were fourth at the May 15 Heart of Iowa Activities Conference meet in Alleman and the boys were fifth. In Atlantic, Hawkeye 10 Conference girls’ and boys’ championship teams from Glenwood, annual powerhouse Harlan Community, Carroll High, Creston, Denison-Schleswig, Atlantic, and Winterset, all bigger schools than Greene County, awaited. The Greene County girls topped them all, and the Greene County boys stood their ground placing in the upper division.
Dean Lansman is the boys’ head coach and the acting Activities Director for Greene County. He told Raccoon Valley Radio, “Definitely at a State Qualifying Meet you want to come down and do the best you can. You can definitely say for both boys and girls that everybody left it on the track, and in the field event venues. It’s been a fabulous night and a great way to culminate this part of season. We’ll now look forward to the State Meet.”
Kelly Simpson is the girls’ head coach at Greene County High School. He has coached for Jefferson-based programs since the late 1980’s and has faced Hawkeye 10 and Raccoon River Conference teams many times over the years. That type of quality opposition can bring out the best in a team, and that’s what happened on Thursday night. “I think we proved we can compete with the Hawkeye 10. The kids really came together tonight, after kind of a tough conference meet, and pulled this one out. That was fabulous!
Ram teams have a habit of performing well at State Qualifying Meets, and plan the coaching staff puts together each season to have their athletes peek for the post season usually is successful. “It’s coming together again and we’re getting that momentum that we’re used to seeing at this time of year. These kids get the confidence, and all of a sudden they’re off and running.”
Events Greene County girls qualified for State Coed Track & Field May 22-23-24 at Drake Stadium:
Discus throw- Hannah Onken
High jump- Nadia Fisher
200 meter dash- Olivia Hansen
400 meter dash- Olivia Hansen
1,500 meter run- Allison Higgins
3,000 meter run- Allison Higgins
100 meter hurdles- Kate Sandage and Eme Johnson
400 meter hurdles- Eme Johnson
Shuttle hurdle relay- Eme Johnson, Nadia Fisher, Sarah Sandage, Kate Sandage
Sprint medley relay- Kate Sandage, Emma Saddoris, Olivia Hansen, Emily Christensen
4 x 400 meter relay- Olivia Hansen, Emma Saddoris, Emily Christensen, Eme Johnson
Events Greene County boys have qualified for Coed State Meet May 22-23-24 at Drake Stadium in Des Moines
Shot put- Alex Rasmussen
Discus throw- Alex Rasmussen
100 meter dash- Roman Phillips
200 meter dash- Roman Phillips and Max Neese
4 x 100 meter relay- Max Neese, JC Weitl, Dylan Hamilton, Roman Phillips
4 x 200 meter relay- Max Neese, JC Weitl, TJ Lint, Roman Phillips