AMES

March is here and marching ahead to compete indoors before the outdoor meets begin in earnest, the Ravens flew west to participate in the Iowa Association of Track Coaches Indoor State Championships at the Lied Recreation Center in Ames to open their 2024 season.    

This was a two-day event with the boys competing on March 7 and the girls competing on March 8. Hillcrest, in Class 1A, went against 34 other teams on the boys side and 35 other teams on the girls side. 

Hillcrest boys results 

The duo of Owen Scott and Kale Bailey represented Hillcrest at this indoor event. Hillcrest earned three points to place 34th in the team standings. Lisbon won the Class 1A team championship with a first-place score of 65. 

Both Scott and Bailey participated in one event, the high jump. Both Ravens finished in the top 15.

Scott, a sophomore, was the highest placing Raven. He was able to clear 5-09 on his third attempt to eventually earn sixth place. Bailey, a freshman, cleared 5-07 on his first attempt to place 12th. 

Coming in first place was North Cedar Senior Johny Amina. Amina cleared 6-05 on his first attempt to capture the gold. Lance Bundle of ACGC, who placed second, also cleared 6-05 but he did it on his second attempt. 

Hillcrest girls results 

With three Ravens competing on the girls team, they ended the indoor meet with 20 points to place 17th out of a field of 36 in the team standings. Similar to the boys, Lisbon won the team championship with an overall score of 41.

For sophomore Rya Scott this was her first varsity track and field competition, and she competed in four events. She competed in the long jump, the 60m, the 200m, and the 400m.

In the 60m, Scott placed 2nd in the prelim race, with a time of 8.13, to qualify for the finals and in the finals, she placed 5th with a time of 8.18. Her final time in the 200m was 27.63 which placed her 7th in a field of 23.

There were also 23 competitors in the 400m, and Scott was able to place 5th with a time of 1:02.12. Scott also excelled in her only field event of the day, placing 3rd in the long jump, with her farthest jump marked at 15-07.25.

Also competing in the long jump was teammate Delaney Shaw. Shaw, a junior, set a new personal best with her best jump being 14-03. Her jump was good enough to claim 15th place in a field of 31.

For freshman Marie Yoder this indoor event served as her debut to varsity track and field competition. Yoder, who qualified for state in cross-country in her first year, competed in two events.

Racing in the 3000m for the first time ever, Yoder ended with a time of 11:36.36 to place 5th. Her second race was the 1500m and she placed 11th in a field of 22 with a time of 5:24.12.

Coming up next for the Hillcrest boys is an indoor track meet at Central College on March 15. The Hillcrest girls will also compete in an indoor track meet at Central College, but it will be on March 16.