(Photo by Jeff Bylsma) Spencer senior Ryan Edwardson crosses the finish line as a Class 3A district champion in the 3,200-meter run after posting a personal record time of 9:58.89 Friday, May 9, 2008, at the Tigers' district track and field meet on the campus of Northwestern College in Orange City. Edwardson, a three-time state qualifier, was one of three individuals to advance to state for Spencer.

Sports Editor

The Spencer track and field program crowed three district champions and qualified a combined eight athletes in five events for the Iowa Coed State Track and Field Championships set to kick off Thursday at Drake Stadium in Des Moines. The Tiger boys turned in a fifth-place district finish and produced a pair of district champions, while the girls had one district champion in a fifth-place finish on the campus of Northwestern College in Orange City Friday.

Edwardson, Johnson

win district titles

Distance runner Ryan Edwardson and thrower Dan Johnson highlighted the Spencer boys track and field team's night at the Class 3A District Meet in Orange City, each winning district championship to advance to the state track and field meet.

Edwardson broke the 10-minute barrier in the 3,200-meter run for the first time in his career, winning the competitive two-mile event with a time of 9:58.89. With the district title, Edwardson will compete at state for the third time in his career.

"Ryan ran a very smart race and really pushed hard his second mile. He had a very good last 300 meter to win," said Spencer head coach Jared Davis. "Ryan has worked very hard to get where he is. He really deserves the chance to run at state."

Johnson turned in yet another top finish and proved to be the top discus thrower in northwest Iowa, winning the event with a toss of 144-5.

"Dan narrowly missed qualifying last year, but he really performed well with his first-place finish to qualify this year," Davis said.

Spencer added one more event to their state schedule when Scott Glover turned in a third-place finish in the 200-meter dash with a time of 24.11. The top three place winners in each event qualify for state. Glover is a two-time state qualifier, but will be competing as an individual for the first time in his career.

"Scott ran a very good race and finished strong to grab that third spot," Davis added.

The state qualifying trio propelled Spencer to its fifth-place finish with 50 points. Storm Lake won the team title with 125 points, Spirit Lake was second with 100, Sioux City Heelan placed third with 87 points.

The Tigers had three other events finish just outside the top three. The shuttle hurdle relay team ran a season's best time in a fourth-place finish, and the 4x800 chopped seven seconds off their best time of the year, but also crossed the finish line one spot short of state qualification. The 4x400-meter relay team also placed fourth.

"I'm very pleased with the way our athletes competed. They definitely gave their best efforts in this meet," said Davis. "Our 4x800, shuttle and medley relay teams ran season's best times, but came up short as we have some of the top teams in the state in those events in our district."

Loerts, 4x800 team advance for Tiger girls

Spencer junior Ashley Loerts will make her second straight trip to the state track and field meet in the 3,000-meter run and two more returning state qualifiers, a sophomore and a freshman will join her as the 4x800-meter relay team of Katelyn McDermott, Molly Lorenz, Sara Edwardson and Kelsey Salton posted a season's best time of 10:06 to advance to Des Moines.

"It was a great night for the girls," said Spencer co-head coach Kurt Bauermeister. "We are so proud of the way they all stepped up and competed."

Loerts, a three-time state cross country qualifier, earned her first district title Friday in Orange City, crossing the finish line in 11:20.

McDermott, a sophomore making her second trip to Des Moines, and Lorenz, now a three-time state qualifier, helped lead the 4x800 team to a second-place finish and an automatic state berth. Edwardson and Salton are both first-time state qualifiers. The top two place winners in each of Iowa's eight districts automatically advance. The next eight best times in each event, regardless of district, also qualify.

A combined 12 personal records and season's best times highlighted the Spencer girls' fifth-place effort. The Tigers totaled 50 points Friday. Spirit Lake won the team title with 145.5 points, Storm Lake was second with 140.

Liz Doppenberg in the discus (105-8), Brittany Peterson in the long jump (15-8 1/2), Hailie Iles in the 1,500 (5:31), Nikki Schiernbeck (1:17.62) and Haley Wilson (1:15.78) in the 400 hurdles, and Loerts in the 3,000 all set personal records.

Six relays teams, including the shuttle hurdle, sprint medley, distance medley, 4x100 and 4x400 had season's best times.

"Our seniors went out in style tonight," Bauermeister said. "We really appreciate the dedication they have given to the sport, and the way they have represented the team and themselves. We will really miss them next season."

Bauermeister said the Tigers have an opportunity to add a few more state events, citing Peterson's effort in the long jump, Doppenberg's discus throw, the 4x400 and the distance medley as potential additions. The next eight best times and and distances in each event will be officially announced Saturday.

Class 3A District Meet

(at Orange City)

Boys

Team Standings

1. Storm Lake 125, 2. Spirit Lake 100, 3. Sioux City Heelan 87, 4. Le Mars 84, 5. Spencer 47.5, 6. Estherville-Lincoln Central 46, 7. Sergeant Bluff-Luton 43, 8. MOC-Floyd Valley 21.5

Individual Results

(* - denotes state qualifier)

Discus - 1. Dan Johnson 144-5*.

100 M Dash - 5. Skylaur Konrady 11.69.

200 M Dash - 3. Scott Glover 24.11*.

1,600 M Run - 5. Ryan Edwardson 5:23.58.

3,200 M Run - 1. Ryan Edwardson 9:58.89*.

Shuttle Hurdle Relay - 4. Sky Folkens, Coire Walker, Chris Fox, Jordan Rasmussen 1:03.29.

Medley Relay - 5. Skylaur Konrady, Scott Glover, Cort Silliman, Jake Baxter 3:42.84.

4x200 M Relay - 5. Skylaur Konrady, Scott Glover, Brian Davis, Sean Elliott 47.15.

4x400 M Relay - 4. Cort Silliman, Jake Baxter, Brian Davis, Greg Maassen 3:37.87.

4x800 M Relay - 4. Jake Baxter, Cort Silliman, Nolan Goeken, Tyler Hodgins 8:25.24.

Girls

Team Standings

1. Spirit Lake 145.5, 2. Storm Lake 140, 3. Sioux City Heelan 88, 4. Sergeant Bluff-Luton 77, 5. Spencer 50, 6. Estherville-Lincoln Central 35, 7. MOC-Floyd Valley 33, 8. Le Mars 20.5.

Individual Results

(* - denotes state qualifier)

Discus - 5. Liz Doppenberg 105-8.

Long Jump - 4. Brittany Peterson 15-8 1/2.

1,500 M Run - 4. Ashley Loerts 5:20, 6. Hailie Iles 5:31.

3,000 M Run - 1. Ashley Loerts 11:20*.

Shuttle Hurdle Relay - 6. Ally Mahrt, Amy McLaury, Brittany Barth, Kayla Christopherson 1:12.

Sprint Medley Relay - 5. Kelsey Salton, Brittany Peterson, Nicole Kramer, Clare Goeken 1:56.

Distance Medley Relay - 5. Sara Edwardson, Shayna Zellaha, Clare Goeken, Katelyn McDermott 4:29.

4x100 M Relay - 5. Kelsey Salton, Brittany Peterson, Shayna Zellaha, Alyssa Speight 53.91.

4x200 M Relay - 4. Nicole Kramer, Shayna Zellaha, Chloe Brockshus, Alyssa Speight 1:56.

4x400 M Relay - 3. Katelyn McDermott, Clare Goeken, Sara Edwardson, Alli Christy 4:14.

4x800 M Relay - 2. Katelyn McDermott, Molly Lorenz, Sara Edwardson, Kelsey Salton 10:06*.