Brilynn Tice takes the baton from Breah Lowry in the Hawks’ 4x200, which included teammates Cori Fisk and Morgan Hay that finished sixth at Pella Christian on Apr. 15. Two nights later, Tice and Lowry teamed up with Hay and Peyton Sharp to win the sprint medley at the Colo-Nesco Robinson Relays.
Two nights of stout competition forced the Lynnville-Sully girls track teams to muster up intense grit and determination as they continue to make improvements with the goal of launching deep into the 2025 track and field season.
The Hawks came in sixth place at the Pella Christian Invitational on Tuesday, Apr. 15, with 58.5 points behind large programs such as Pella, Pella Christian, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont, and Grinnell. Despite the solid competition, the ladies battled throughout the night and showcased their talent throughout the meet.
Junior Tatum Huyser finished third in the 100m dash in a time of 12.73, breaking the school record for L-S set in 2023 by Carsyn McFarland. Huyser was also the bronze medal winner in the 200m dash in a time of 26.46 seconds. These times put her in the top-five fastest performances in both events in Class 1A so far this season. She also cleared 5’1” in the high jump event, contributing eight more points for the Hawks with a second- place finish.
In the distance events, freshman Mandeesa Vos placed fourth in the 1500m race, running her season- best time of 5:30.12. She also ran the 3,000m race in 12:05 to place third. Senior Olivia Norrish came in fifth in 12:35.31. The quartet of sophomore Emma Parkinson, freshman Brooke Harthoorn, junior Kate Harthoorn, and sophomore Peyton Sharp ran a time of 10:51 in the 4x800 to place fourth.
“There were many season-best times for relays and PR’s for individuals. They continue to work hard and build as individuals and as a team,” said head coach Kevin Johnson of his Hawks.
Two days later on Thursday, Apr. 17, the Hawks traveled to Nevada to compete in the Colo-Nesco Robinson Relays, held at Nevada High School. The Hawks came in third as a team overall. “The Hawks continue to do a lot of good things on the track and in field events. We continue to see improvements, and the girls are gaining a lot of confidence each meet,” commented Johnson.
A highlight of the meet was Huyser’s stellar leap in the high jump at 5’3”, her career-best jump. This performance not only earned her the gold medal in the event but also qualified her to participate in the Drake Relays, a highly honorable and respected accomplishment. She also claimed gold medals in the 100m dash at 13.26 seconds and in the 200m dash in 26.87 seconds. Sophomore Breah Lowry placed fourth in the 200m dash in 29.40 seconds.
Parkinson came in third in the 800m run in a time of 2:43.63, followed by Sharp in fourth in 2:44.30. M. Vos placed third in the 3,000m run in a time of 11:45.05.
The 4x400 team of K. Harthoorn, Sharp, Parkinson, and freshman Isabelle Vos cinched a win in a time of 4:30.46. The 4x800 squad with K. Harthoorn, Parkinson, Norrish, and Sharp also earned first time in 10:57. Sophomore Brilynn Tice, junior Morgan Hay, B. Lowry, and Sharp were on the gold-winning sprint medley team in a time of 2:04.18.
“We saw a lot of good things and some young kids are really working hard. We’ll continue to build on these early meets,” said Johnson.
The Hawks ran at Colfax-Mingo on Tuesday, Apr. 22, and are scheduled to participate at Martensdale-St. Mary’s on Thursday, Apr. 24.
Lynnville-Sully boys track and field
Strong winds, cooler temperatures, and very deep competition from large programs created challenges for the Lynnville-Sully boys track team but their efforts and focus only surged them forward. Their determination powered them to a third-place finish at the Pella Christian Invitational on Tuesday, Apr. 15, with 81 points behind Pella (252) and PCM (130.5).
Junior Connor Deal performed well in the high jump, jumping 6’ to place second. Senior Terran Gosselink ran the 400m hurdles for the first time this season, stealing the show with a first-place finish in a time of 57.51 seconds, shaving two seconds off his previous personal record he set last season.
Sophomore Blake Wilmesmeier had three solid showings, running a personal record split in the 4x800 and in the 800 leg of the distance medley relay. He ran the 4x800 with juniors Ethan Dunsbergen, Michael Spooner, and sophomore Colton Alberts who placed fifth. He paired with sophomores Jordan Dunsbergen, Trace Carlson, and Sam Terlouw in the sprint medley to place third. Wilmesmeier also ran a personal best in the 1600m run in a time of 5:01.72.
Junior Dawson James set another personal record in the shot put, throwing over 45 feet for the first time ever to place fourth.
Two nights later, the Hawks went neck and neck against Baxter at the Colo-Nesco Dave Robinson Invitational Meet, held at Nevada High School on Thursday, Apr. 17. Despite the Hawks scoring in all 19 events, Baxter got the victory with 151 points over L-S’s 133.
The field event competitors contributed well for the Hawks, scoring a total of 30 points in those events. Deal clinched second place with a jump of 5’10” in the high jump while Gosselink jumped 5’6” to place third. E. Dunsbergen placed fifth in the long jump with a leap of 18’10”, earning a huge personal record by over a foot. Junior Wyatt Mathis threw the discus 117’2” for fifth place for the Hawks. James captured second place in the shot put with a throw of 43’2.5”. Sophomore Cameyon James was sixth with a throw of 36’11”.
The long-distance runners also earned valuable points. Senior Hendrick Lowry claimed fourth in the 1600m run in a time of 5:07.96. In the 3200m run, Wilmesmeier and Alberts finished second and third in 10:44.78 and 10:45.24, respectively.
Gosselink bettered his time in the 400m hurdles by a few tenths of a second, clocking in 57.37 seconds, earning his second gold medal in the event last week. In the 400m dash, Lowry came in fifth in 57.57.
Silver went to the shuttle hurdle team of Deal, freshman Ashton Rozendaal, junior Matthew Mintle, and Gosselink (1:06.03). The all-junior 4x100 quartet of Jaiden Richards, James, Mintle, and Burt Johnson claimed fourth in 46.77. The 4x200 team of J. Dunsbergen, Richards, junior Jack Bowlin, and freshman Jace Johnson lowered their time for the season by over three seconds, running the event in 1:36.68.
The 4x400 team ran a ten-second improvement of the team’s best time so far this season in 3:41.96 with E. Dunsbergen, Spooner, sophomore Sawyer Veldhuizen, and J. Johnson exchanging the baton. The all-sophomore 4x800 team of Evan Arkema, Trace Carlson, Keegan Schnell, and Terlouw grabbed silver in 10:03.56. The sprint medley team of B. Johnson, Richards, Dunsbergen, and Lowry claimed second while the distance medley team of E. Dunsbergen, Spooner, Veldhuizen, and Wilmesmeier finished third.
The Hawks ran at BGM on Tuesday, Apr. 22, and are scheduled to participate at Martensdale-St. Mary’s on Thursday, Apr. 24.
Huyser to jump at Drake Friday
Lynnville-Sully junior Tatum Huyser has already etched her name into the Hawks’ record books this season. Last Tuesday, Apr. 15, the speedy sprinter broke the Lynnville-Sully school record in the 100m dash by crossing the finish line in 12.73 seconds at a track meet hosted by Pella Christian. Two nights later, she hit another PR, this time in the high jump. Huyser cleared 5’3” at the Colo-Nesco Robinson Relays, a mark that put her on the “accepted” list of potential Drake Relays contenders. She learned over the weekend her acceptance was confirmed, and she will compete at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Apr. 25, in the elite high school division. The 115th Drake Relays runs Apr. 23-26 at Drake Stadium in Des Moines.
