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MISSING: MEDALS

Nerland will return with a chip on her shoulder as a senior

Webster City junior Cassidy Nerland lets it fly during the girls’ Class 3A shot put on Friday at Drake Stadium. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

DES MOINES — It’s an event and performance that Cassidy Nerland will spend the next 12 months thinking about. Channeled the right way, it could prove to be what tips the scales in her favor as a senior.

But, in the present, it’s hard for the Webster City junior not to be disappointed.

Looking to win a third Class 3A state shot put medal in as many years on Friday, Nerland was unable to channel her past successes in the rain and cold conditions at Drake Stadium during the Iowa State Co-ed Track and Field Championship.

Seeded fifth entering with a best throw on the season of 39 feet, 7 inches, Nerland’s top preliminary-round throw measured 33-101⁄4 and left her well short of making the finals. She finished 21st overall.

“Obviously she’s disappointed and this is going to sting for a while because she’s put in a lot of hard work and spent a lot of time at this over the last three years,” WCHS girls’ head coach Clint Howard said. “She’s had a lot of success and really hasn’t had to handle anything like this before. But the positive thing out of this is she’s a junior and she’s not done yet, not by a long shot. How she handles adversity will determine what next year brings and I’m confident it will be handled the right way.”

Webster City seniors Zane Carter (front) and Payton Kannuan work the exchange during the boys’ Class 3A 4x200-meter relay, the final event of their prep careers, on Friday in Des Moines. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Nerland, a two-time eighth-place medalist, opened the competition with a toss of 32-81⁄4 and hit 33-41⁄4 on her second attempt. Howard said a lot of little things technically ballooned for his thrower.

“On all three throws she was a little bit high and wasn’t quite getting her foot underneath her … it just didn’t all come together,” he said. “If your shoulder is open an inch or two you lose that much power and if your foot’s not up underneath you you’re losing your legs. Combine the two and it’s a double effect.”

It would have taken a throw of 36-7 to reach the finals. Hannah Hood of Creston took home the state title with a toss of 42-41⁄2. Only three girls in the field of 24 surpassed 40 feet.

Fellow WCHS junior James Cherry took his turn in the boys’ shot put competition and finished 14th with a top heave of 48-9, which came on his third and final attempt of the prelims. It was the third-best distance of his career.

Cherry, who turned in a pair of 50-foot-plus throws at the state qualifier, got on the board with a throw of 46-53⁄4 on his opening attempt. He fouled on attempt No. 2 when his throw landed just outside the boundary line on the left.

Lynx junior James Cherry prepares to throw the shot put at Drake Stadium Friday afternoon. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

“I’m really happy with the way James competed,” WCHS boys’ head coach Chad Hisler said. “It was a good experience for him to be down here and see what it’s like. Hopefully it will give him the itch to get back down (to state) and get a medal next year.”

Mount Vernon senior and University of Iowa football recruit Tristan Wirfs claimed his fifth state title in the throws, as he overwhelmed the field with a launch of 63-41⁄2. It was more than seven feet ahead of runner-up Dominick Etherington (55-103⁄4) of Algona.

Wirfs won the discus title on Thursday. He was also the 2A heavyweight state champion on the wrestling mat in February.

On the blue oval Friday afternoon, the Lynx 4×200-meter relay — Payton Kannuan, Zane Carter, Lincoln LaSourd and Zane Williams — ran to an 18th-place finish in a time of 1:33.83, which was a fraction of a section slower than its fastest time of the season (1:33.57).

The Lynx were fifth in their heat.

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

“We came in 24th and we got 18th, so we’re happy with that,” Hisler said.

It was the end of the line for Kannuan and Carter, both seniors. Kannuan, who was also an all-state wingback on the Lynx 3A state runner-up football team last fall, said it’s been a great ride.

“I’m definitely going to miss it,” he said. “The last four years of track and football, it’s been a helluva ride.”

Kannuan said he and the other members of the 4×200 were pleased with how they performed in the sloppy conditions.

“We came out here and ran our hearts out and it was fun,” he said. “We just wanted to try to race our best again and see where that would place us.”

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Dallas Center-Grimes took home the 4×200 state title in 1:29.82. Mustangs’ anchor Cade Bertrand owned a big lead when he took the stick, but he was forced to fend off a hard-charging Isaiah Trousil, the ultra-talented West Burlington senior who won the 100- and 200-meter dashes for the third consecutive year. Trousil, who took the stick in third and significantly behind the leaders, got his team up to the runner-up slot (1:30.30).

State Meet Results

At Drake Stadium

Des Moines

Webster City Results (Class 3A)

Boys

Discus — 9. James Cherry 149-0.

Shot Put — 14. Cherry 48-9.

200 Meters — 23. Payton Kannuan 23.68.

4×200 Relay — 18. Webster City 1:33.83 (Kannuan, Zane Carter, Lincoln LaSourd, Zane Williams).

Girls

Discus — 13. Cassidy Nerland 113-8.

Shot Put — 21. Nerland 33-101⁄4.

High Jump — 9. Haley Flaws 5-0.

100 Meters — 23. Flaws 13.14.

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