MANCHESTER— When it meant the most with invitations to the 2007 girls state track and field meet being handed out, Anamosa stepped up and met the steep challenge taking part and succeeding in the class 3A regional meet held in Manchester Friday, May 11.

“It’s been an up-and-down year at times for us this season, but this was sure a big momentum builder,” said Anamosa girls track coach Phil Kauder. “It proved, to a lot of the girls on our team, that they can compete against some of the bigger class 3A schools and succeed. We were proof of that Friday night.”

Leading the charge for the Anamosa girls track team was Becca Loy, who turned in a remarkable performance in the high jump event.

“Becca’s had her troubles at times with the high jump and hasn’t found a real rhythm lately, but she sure stepped up and found it right when she and we needed it the most,” said Kauder. “She was simply outstanding at the regional meet and against some pretty good jumpers too. Becca met every challenge that was put forth in front of her and finished as the champion.”

Loy was phenomenal for the Raiders girls as she battled toe-to-toe with Vinton-Shellsburg’s Sarah Heineman, Western Dubuque’s Molly Steffens and Independence’s Jordan Geertsmea for supremacy in the high jump.

Loy, the lone freshman among the top jumpers, fought off all challengers and cleared a season-best 5’ 1” to claim the 3A regional high jump championship and automatic berth at the state meet in Des Moines Thursday, May 17.

“Becca beat her best jump of the season by three inches,” said Kauder.

MANCHESTER— For a time, for a very long time when the announcer was reading off the team scoring to a packed throng in Manchester, Anamosa was one of the last teams listed.
Meaning the Raider boys track team was scoring some serious points at the class 3A district meet Friday, May 11.

“We got off to a great start scoring in quite a few field events like we normally do and with the 4x800 team doing their usual excellent job too, we had quite a few points early in the meet,” said Raider boys track coach Wes Wilson after his team secured berths at the 2007 state track meet at Drake Stadium in Des Moines in the high jump, long jump, discus, 4x800 and 800 meter dash events. “That’s quite a collection for us to qualify in but with the way this team has been competing this year, it’s no surprise to me or anyone else who is associated with this program. We were actually hoping for maybe one more event to get in, but against a pretty strong field and with the way the state qualifies events for state, it just didn’t work out.”

Colten Kelly once again led the Anamosa boys claiming another class 3A district championship in the high jump event, his second straight district title, now he’s looking for even bigger things in Des Moines Thursday, May 17.

“Colten wants that state title,” said Wilson. “For him, anything else will be a disappointment. I think, after a short stretch there where he seemed to be off of his game, Colten is back on target and ready to claim what is rightfully his.”

Kelly returned to the form of earlier in the season soaring 6’ 6” in Manchester and taking the title and enters the 3A state meet with the class’s top jump.

“He was barely edged out at the Drake Relays by misses and I don’t think he’s going to let that happen to him again heading back into Drake Stadium,” said Wilson. “I think he’s primed for some big jumps back in Des Moines and he usually steps up to the challenge at the biggest meets. He sure did here too.”

Kelly claimed his second title on the day winning the 3A long jump event after flying 20’ 4”.

“The kid just spends a lot of time in the air,” said Wilson. “He’s one of the best around. I’m just glad he’s on our side.”

Jason Breon also earned a state berth in the high jump joining Kelly on the Drake track for the Anamosa boys after flying 6’ 0” and finishing third, taking the final automatic berth to Des Moines.

“This came down to misses,” said Wilson.

The Midland girls qualified the 4x100 and sprint medley events to state after turning in sensational efforts in Goose Lake.

“I really think we’ve hit our stride lately,” said Bentley. “We made a few moves with those two events and the changes worked out well.”

The 4x100 and sprint medley teams each placed third at the regional with the 4x100 team posting a time of 52.86 as Tiffany Vacek, Amanda Hansen, Amy Burmeister and Paige Paulsen combined to run the event to Des Moines.

“That time is also a school record,” said Bentley as the Midland team crushed the old mark set back in 1997 of 53.30. ““These girls have worked hard and deserve this success.”

The sprint medley team of Vacek, Paulsen, Hansen and Mary Burmeister tallied a time of 1:56.85.

“The first three girls kept Mary Burmeister, who was running our anchor leg, in the hunt and then she just took over,” said Bentley.
“Mary ran a very smart 400 meters and brought it home with a great kick at the end.”

Paulsen just missed a trip to state in the 100 meter dash after finishing third at districts after a 12.95 clocking while Vacek added a seventh-place finish in 13.84.

MARION — Reaching the state level is the only thing Anamosa boys golf coach Brad Mangler has ever known during his three amazingly successful years leading the Raiders.

That streak came to an end Friday, May 11, as Anamosa’s quest for a school-record fourth straight trip to districts and onto state, was stopped short at the class 3A sectional tournament in Marion.

“This is a weird feeling having the season end here,” said Mangler as his group of Raider boys finished seventh in the eight-team sectional firing a 339 team score. “I really did foresee this team at least moving on to districts next weekend. From there I knew things might be pretty tough to advance to state, but finishing seventh here really was quite a big surprise. I did think we’d make it through but the competition was just too tough and we couldn’t find a score in the 70’s to save us.”

Western Dubuque topped the 3A sectional field firing a solid 321 score winning the title over Central DeWitt after the Sabers also made their way through the Gardner course with an identical 321.

“I’m not sure where that Western Dubuque score came from,” said Mangler. “They won the title with their fifth score beating DeWitt’s.
Western Dubuque is a good team, but they must have saved their best for this tournament. That came out of nowhere. DeWitt we knew was tough and they advanced to districts as well.”

The host Indians took third and had their season end after a 325 team score while Mount Vernon was fourth carding a 332. Benton Community finished fifth after their 338 while Maquoketa edged the Raiders for sixth tallying a 339.

Anamosa topped Vinton-Shellsburg as the Vikings shot a 347 to finish eighth.

“Once again, like they’ve been all season long, our scores were pretty consistent,” said Mangler. “Just a little too consistently high for us to still be playing though. We never really had that one player we could always count on to lead the team this year. We had quite a few guys step into that role for stretches this season, but when we looked to one guy we could count on for that round in the 70’s, it just wasn’t there and that’s what cost us in the end, and we knew it would eventually. I was hoping we’d get by for at least one more week though.”

Colten Kelly once again led the Anamosa charge firing a solid 82 (39-43) and just missed making the tournament top-10 by a mere stroke.