The open 800-meter run is his baby, so that’s a lock for his postseason workload. But the potentially impossible decision will be between two relays he enjoys equally — the 4×800 and distance medley.

“It’s really up to the coaches and, at districts, what we have the best chance of making it to state,” Harfst, Webster City’s resident 800 star, said moments after he toured the track at the Southeast Valley Invite on Monday. “There’s a chance I could run both, but it’s the coaches’ decision.”

If the last two meets are any indication, it’s going to be hard to break up the medley. Following a victory in the event at the Charlie Bunn Relays in Humboldt on Friday, the Lynx group that also included Garrett Whitmore, Carson Struchen and Lincoln LaSourd obliterated the Southeast Valley field in windy conditions. With Harfst running alone on the anchor, WCHS won the event by 14 seconds and turned in a clocking of 3:44.05.

“This race can be great because we have a lot of potential,” Harfst said after posting a 2:03 800-meter anchor. “There are a lot of good things in the future for us.”

Max Harfst crosses the finish line with a large lead during the distance medley relay at Monday’s Southeast Valley Invite in Gowrie. He also won the 800-meter run for Webster City. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

But WCHS head coach Chad Hisler says it’s not that easy. Taking Harfst off the 4×800 isn’t something he relishes, nor does he want to keep LaSourd, Whitmore and Struchen out of the 4×200, an event all three ran a season ago when they helped the Lynx place ninth at state. But that may not be in the cards because of the medley.

Decisions, decisions.

“I think (the medley) can be a strong relay going forward, but it may take those guys off the 4×200 or Max off the 4×800,” Hisler said. “So we’ve got some decisions to make. We’ll keep going back and forth and see what we think has a chance to place at state.”

The distance medley quartet currently sits 21st overall in the state and seventh in Class 3A.

Harfst and Whitmore added individual gold medals on Monday and WCHS walked away with eight medals in all en route to its third consecutive second-place team finish. The Lynx tallied 98 points to trail only Roland-Story (124), which won the Class A team crown for the fifth time in the 39-year history of the meet.

Webster City senior Austin Lampman goes through his pre-throw routine in the shot put ring at Monday’s Southeast Valley Invite in Gowrie. He finished fourth in the event. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Harfst ran his fastest open 800 ever (2:02.09) to capture the top spot. Part sprint and part endurance, a distance than can be a nightmare for some has become his favorite.

“Ultimately I love speed training more than long distance,” Harfst said. “I’ve always had a passion for the 800 and I tend to excel at that more than any other race.”

Whitmore, who has quickly become the Lynx lead sprinter, dominated the 400 low hurdles field by more than two seconds. He won in 57.45 seconds.

Whitmore and LaSourd again walked away with four medals each. LaSourd had a carer-best time of 22.93 to finish second in the 200, and he joined Whitmore on the runner-up 4×100 (45.29) and sprint medley (1:41.68) relays. Trey Mathis was on both relays as well; Struchen completed the 4×100, Kasey Porter the sprint medley.

“Garrett and Lincoln had great nights again,” Hisler said. “Garrett is flying on the lead-off of those sprint relays right now. He’s a legit great sprinter.”

Webster City’s Kaiyu Levongkhom sets a personal record in the long jump (19 feet, 51⁄2 inches) at Monday’s Southeast Valley Invite in Gowrie. He placed fourth. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

J.J. Moore and Kaiyu Levongkhom added two more silver medals to the team’s haul. Moore earned his in the shot put with a toss of 45 feet, 4 inches. Levongkhom completed the 110 high hurdles in 16.48.

The WCHS junior varsity squad took part in the Class B field and scored 34 points to place seventh.

The Lynx claimed two medals, highlighted by a win in the 4×100 (48.27) for Levongkhom, Jack Van Diest, Drew Nielson and Malachi Montes. Nielson took second in the 100 (12.31).

Manson-Northwest Webster cruised to the small-class team title with 1771⁄2 points. The Cougars opened up a 811⁄2-point gap between themselves and runner-up West Bend-Mallard (96).

Southeast Valley Invitational

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Monday at Gowrie

Class A Team Standings

1. Roland-Story 124; 2. Webster City 98; 3. Madrid 90; 4. Pocahontas Area 79; 5. Woodward Academy 66; 6. Gilbert 521⁄2; 7. Southeast Valley 491⁄2; 8. Carroll Kuemper 30.

Webster City Results

Shot Put — 2. J.J. Moore 45-4; 4. Austin Lampman 43-51⁄2.

Discus — 5. Moore 112-11; 6. Lampman 110-3.

Long Jump — 4. Kaiyu Levongkhom 19-51⁄2.

100 Meters — 12. Trey Mathis 12.04; 15. Trace Kepler 12.24.

200 Meters — 2. Lincoln LaSourd 22.93; 15. Jack Van Diest 25.31.

400 Meters — 6. Alex Hooker 55.67; 15. Seth Godfredsen 1:05.25.

800 Meters — 1. Max Harfst 2:02.09; 5. Tucker Judkins 2:17.84.

1,600 Meters — 5. John Piaszynski 4:55.15; 8. Jose Ramirez 5:05.23.

3,200 Meters — 6. Jacob Willson 11:33.40.

110 High Hurdles — 2. Levongkhom 16.48; 9. Malachi Montes 18.18.

400 Low Hurdles — 1. Garrett Whitmore 57.45; 12. Kasey Porter 1:10.39.

4×100 Relay — 2. Webster City 45.29 (Whitmore, Mathis, Carson Struchen, LaSourd).

4×200 Relay — 6. Webster City 1:38.22 (Porter, Struchen, Drew Nielson, Mathis).

4×400 Relay — 4. Webster City 3:47.22 (Harfst, Hooker, Judkins, Parter Rossing).

4×800 Relay — 5. Webster City 9:04.95 (Piaszynski, Hooker, Judkins, Rossing).

Shuttle Hurdle Relay — 4. Webster City 1:09.01 (Levongkhom, Porter, Montes, Chris Martinez).

Sprint Medley Relay — 2. Webster City 1:41.68 (Whitmore, LaSourd, Mathis, Porter).

Distance Medley Relay — 1. Webster City 3:44.05 (Whitmore, Struchen, LaSourd, Harfst).

Class B Team Standings

1. Manson-Northwest Webster 177 1/2; 2. West Bend-Mallard 96; 3. Roland-Story JV 74; 4. Southeast Valley JV 69; 5. Gilbert JV 51 1/2; 6. GTRA 39; 7. Webster City JV 34; 8. Paton-Churdan 17.

Webster City JV Results

100 Meters — 2. Drew Nielson 12.31; 5. Kyzer Stanley 12.96.

200 Meters — 4. Stanley 26.26; 8. Brock Blake 26.68.

400 Meters — 9. Gabriel Killian 1:06.03; 11. Matthew Borkowski 1:10.08.

800 Meters — 5. Dylan Schwering 2:27.72.

400 Low Hurdles — 8. Jamin Stuhr 1:12.18; 9. Chris Martinez 1:15.15.

4×100 Relay — 1. Webster City 48.27 (Kaiyu Levongkhom, Jack Van Diest, Nielson, Malachi Montes).

4×200 Relay — 5. Webster City 1:45.16 (Van Diest, Stanley, Blake, Trace Kepler).

4×400 Relay — 8. Webster City 4:25.85 (Seth Godfredsen, Curtis Heuton, Schutt, Borkowski).

4×800 Relay — 6. Webster City 10:16.99 (Godfredsen, Cole Reiling, Heuton, Schwering).

Sprint Medley Relay — 6. Webster City 2:01.03 (Stuhr, Charlie Stansfield, Borkowski, Killian).

Distance Medley Relay — 4. Webster City 4:47.78 (Stuhr, Stansfield, Heuton, Schutt).