INDEPENDENCE — Schedule conflicts and nagging injuries held down the numbers Friday for Iola High’s boys.
But even with smaller numbers, coupled with cool, and occasionally windy, conditions Iola still had several standouts.
The Mustangs were buoyed by Tyler Powelson’s distance runs and Eli Grover’s prowess with the discus.
Powelson was a two-time gold medalist, winning the 800- and 1600-meter runs, while Grover took first place in the discus.
Iola had other top finishers. Adam Kauth and Michael Wilson earned silver medals in the 300-meter hurdles and pole vault, respectively.
Iola’s fifth-place finish with 66 points came despite going without the services of Jacob Harrison, who injured his foot, and Tyler McIntosh, who missed the competition to attend a function with the IHS jazz band in Topeka.
Shortages were the theme of the day, Iola coach Marv Smith noted.
Coffeyville (141 points) finished second behind Arkansas City (146) despite competing without standout sprinter James Newton in three events he would have been favored to win.
Labette County (third place-126).
Powelson won the 1600 in 4:42.3, despite contending with a ferocious wind.
“Powelson’s race in the 1600 was exceptional,” Smith said. “He finished nine seconds in front of a very good miler from Fredonia. He ran in front from start to finish with no one challenging him.
“That’s not a bad way to have a race, since you can remain somewhat relaxed.”
Powelson doubled up on his gold haul with a winning mark of 2:05.3 in the 800.
Meanwhile, Grover’s personal best throw of 117 feet, 6 inches was good for his winning mark in the discus.
He also took fourth in the shot put with a throw of 39’8”.
Kauth earned silver by running the 300-meter hurdles in 42.8 seconds. Wilson took second in the pole vault, clearing the bar at 10’6”.
Smith said the Mustang throwers have had to contend with bad weather, which has limited their practice time outdoors.
“Throwers can only do so much indoors,” he said. “We need a couple of weeks of nice weather.”
Iola’s full results:
Tyler Powelson, first, 1600-meter run, 4:42.3; first, 800-meter run, 2:05.3.
Eli Grover, first, discus, 117’6”; fourth, shot put, 39’8”.
Adam Kauth, second, 300-meter hurdles, 42.8 seconds; fourth, 100-meter high hurdles, 16.4 seconds.
Michael Wilson, second, pole vault, 10’6”.
Jesse Zimmerman, seventh, discus, 97’11”.
Jeremy Spears, seventh, 800, 2:16.7.
4×800-meter relay (Jacob Cooper, Spears, Jonathan Tidd, Blaine Klubek), fourth, 9:58.0.
4×400-meter relay (Kauth, Spears, Wilson, Powelson), fifth, 3:56.2
Short-handed IHS squad still fares well
